


One Hell of a Family

by Dildo_Swaggins_T_Baggins



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers Animated (2007)
Genre: Animal Abuse, Animal Death, Character Death, Childhood, Creepy, Dark, Death Threats, Domestic Fluff, Family, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Human AU, M/M, Mob AU, Secret Identity, Secrets, Stalking, True Love, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-03
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-01-01 12:53:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18334808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dildo_Swaggins_T_Baggins/pseuds/Dildo_Swaggins_T_Baggins
Summary: An ex police officer who watched his friend die then became a firefighter, and a mob boss who has murdered people with his own hands and has a life time of regrets that'll carry on through his life, are ready to become dads?Staring Rob Schneider.I really hate Rob Schneider.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I just have this urge to deck Rob Schneider.

He followed Sentinel and Elita, shaking like a leaf as they all stepped into the warehouse. This was dumb, really _REALLY_ dumb. Grinding his teeth as Sentinel waved them forwards, following the voices. Sweaty palms and the block of ice in his stomach were the only rocks keeping him mentally there.

  
    Elita jumped on top of a crate then another, quiet as always. Sentinel held up his riot shield, Optimus felt the weight of the bulletproof vest and the pistol in his hand. They waited to listen to the men talk.

  
    If this went wrong, that was it, they’d be kicked out of the academy, or worse they’d be forced into witness protection. Why on Earth did he let Sentinel and Elita talk him into this? Elita waved them on, pulling her own pistol out. “Alright hands up now!”

  
    A deep laugh echoed in the warehouse. “Really? You think we’d be this dumb to just let some rookies get the jump on us?”

  
    Optimus jumped hearing the garage door slam shut as it was cut from its wires, they were trapped.

  
    “If you were just a little smarter, you wouldn’t be used to send a message to Magnus.”

  
    A flaming bottle fell down in front of him, then another, breaking and throwing the flames to everything. Looking up to only see more cocktails being flung down at them.

  
    “We gotta go now!” He grabbed Sentinel's arm and ran, feeling a bottle hit his back and the flame lick up to his hair, Optimus threw off his vest and patted his hair down. He ran towards the wall, looking for anything, a window that wasn’t bared, another door, even a loading bay. It was all blocked off.

  
    “Guy over there!” She shouted as the smell of gas became very apparent. They ran towards her, all of them rushing out of the warehouse. “They escaped through that door.” She pointed towards the door.

  
    “They might shoot us when we step outside.” Optimus looked around there has to be another way out. Don’t panic, right now is not the time to panic! He grit his teeth, nothing but crates, and tarps and flames, lots of flames. “Sentinel grabs the fire extinguisher, Elita aim for the catwalk. We gotta get on the ceiling.” His lungs started to burn, and his eyes watered, he aimed for the chains. It took a few shots but the catwalk fell, Sentinel started putting out the flames as they all ran. Sentinel was the first one, climbing up the catwalk. Optimus turned to Elita seeing that her arm was bleeding.

  
    “One of the bottles got me.” She hissed grabbing the catwalk. “Let’s move.”

  
    Optimus followed pushing his friend up the catwalk and keeping an eye on the flames. They grew, burning into the walls, the crates, it was an oven. The catwalk lurched down with the weight. Optimus crawled up to his friend, wrapping an arm around her as the catwalk lurched again. She screamed losing her grip, Optimus grabbed her bloody arm clutching onto her. The stressed metal creaked, warning of another snap in the chains above. He dug into her bloody forearm begging for her to hold on as the world around him was burning. “Elita.”

  
    The chain snapped and he swung forward, losing his grip on his friend, she was thrown down. Her head bashing against a crate, her limp body landed at an awkward angle. He only mouthed her name as he felt another hand grab him and pull him up. Sentinel lifted him up with ease and set him down. “Where’s Elita?”

  
    Optimus numbly shook his head. Only reacting when he heard popping below them. He shot the skylight, and breaking the glass with his forearms and pushed through as the building roared. Sentinel grabbed him and ran as an explosion ripped through the building, flinging them through the air and onto the cold ground below.

 

* * *

 

Megatron made himself a plate of Strika’s cooking, listening to the news as the rest of the crew started to eat. He was always the last one to get his meal, but Strika always made sure to leave more than enough for him. “Thank you Strika.” He spent 30 minutes staring at himself in the mirror and washing his already clean hands. The skin was red with irritation, and he looked tired. _Not tired, old, you look old, Megatron._ He growled and sat down, quietly eating and drinking a beer as they watched the news. 27, _you’re 27, that’s not old_. He told himself, looking at the crew. Soundwave was only 25, Starscream was 23, Strika was only 24, and he was 27. Soundwave sat next to him, quietly eating and checking one of his 10 phones for news, only to look up and cock an eyebrow. “I’m fine,” He grumbled to his closest friend, quietly eating his meal.

  
    Soundwave only nodded picking up another phone and calling his home. “Hello? Rumble? I’ll be home in a bit okay?”

  
    “Just a few moments ago the warehouse caught fire and exploded.” A new reported said as it cut to an aerial view of the building. “I’m here with Police chief Magnus, what this an attack by the Decepticon gang?”

  
    Magnus frowned. “I can’t say anything on the subject at this moment, but I will say that we only found one body.” He pushed past her.

  
    Everyone in the room grew quiet, Soundwave hung up on his son and slipped his phone away. They all watched him, holding their breath. Megatron didn’t like to eat fast or when he was angry, but he did take another bite before slowly getting up and setting it on a countertop. “A lovely meal Strika, thank you for cooking.” He held no emotion in his voice before turning towards his crew. “Who was supposed to make sure they didn’t escape?”

  
    “It was Dreg, he’s not here,” Starscream spoke up.

  
    He nodded slowly before picking up a chair and flinging it across the room, it slammed into the wall and shattered into pieces. The table was punched through, the TV and microwave collided together. The wall had a few new holes in it. When he was done he looked around knowing he would be staying up late and planning another job, and cleaning up the mess. He only looked at Strika. “Forgive me,” He said pulling out his wallet and handing her 700 bucks. “A new kitchen and dining for you and Lugnut.”

 

* * *

 

“Optimus,” Magnus called him in. He shut the door behind him and sat down in the chair, fidgeting. He sighed rubbing his tired eyes. “Who planned to go after Cast Iron?” Cast Iron, a stupid name for a mob boss, but suiting being that he was known to be an unbreakable as a cast iron pan.

  
    Optimus sunk down, exhausted from the hospital as he overheard that Elita died from her skull cracking open. Sentinel stood next to him, still in shock at the whole event. _Why did we think it was a good idea?_ “It was mine, sir.” He said, he thought it over, and over again. Sentinel wanted to be a police officer, he may have come up with the idea. Optimus knew his friend would make a great chief one day. He couldn’t, not after Elita. “It was mine, only mine.”

  
    Magnus frowned. “I was hoping you’d lie.” He grumbled pulling out a folder. “You were the top of the class, I kept an eye on you while you passed the academy with flying colors. Even Kup suggested you would be a great chief, maybe more.”

  
    He looked at his file, his grades, his tests, even a handwritten note from Kup. It should’ve made him happy, but he felt like throwing up. He shut the folder and slid it across the desk. “No, I can’t, not after losing her.”

  
    Magnus nodded slowly. “I understand.”  
  
    He hadn’t moved in 5 hours, his chapped lips and dry throat told him to get up. The hangover and trash can next to him told him to get his life together. He didn’t feel like it but he knew the next few minutes he’d throw up again. _Might as well look at my pathetic self_. He groaned as his stomach growled, nothing but cheap beer and stomach acid. He wobbled into the bathroom. Flicking on the lights but nothing turned on, he tried it a few times, he took out a bulb and saw it was fine. _Must’ve cut the power._ He set the bulb down and sunk down the wall clutching the toilet bowl. Once again he thought back to the fire, Elita, Magnus, his future went up in flames. _Sentinel hasn’t even visited, and I lied for him…_ He was about to snap only to feel the sickening rise of throw up.

 

* * *

 

He waited, puffing away at a cigar, waiting for the rain to pass. Megatron watched as kids ran home. _You need to stop this._ “Yeah.” He told himself, watching a redhead girl with her 3 friends skip down the sidewalk, splashing the puddles. Every day at 3 she would walk to the university where her uncle worked. Her mother died while in childbirth, her uncle stepped in when he couldn’t take care of her. It hurt watching his little Sari through a car window. _Stop hurting yourself old man._ He snapped at himself, turning on his car. “She’s got grandma’s hair that’s for sure.” He said looking in the mirror and pushing back his own black and grey hairs. “Nothing like her old man.” He mumbled, driving off. He had some loose ends to tie up.

  
    He stopped outside a bar, Blitzwing, a veteran stood up, smoking a cigarette got in the car. Then he stopped by the air-force base, picking up Starscream, they all got drinks at a gas station. Megatron drove for miles, the sun setting behind them, taking the back roads to nowhere. It was then that they heard it, the kicking. He sighed pulling over and popping the trunk. “Starscream you take the wheel.” He stepped out walking over to the trunk. Megatron lifted thehood and looked down at the bloody face of Dreg, the man shook, his hands and legs tied up, a cloth was shoved in his mouth. Megatron grabbed the back of his head, and with his other hand, he curled it into a fist. He punched the man until his body stopped twitching, blood splattered on his shirt. He sat back in the car, and Starscream drove off.

  
    They never talked on these drives, in fact, they barely looked at one another. Blitzwing would sit and read, Starscream would turn up the music until your ears hurt. He would stare outside and think. It was a mistake to let Dreg handle this. Starscream turned to the left, then down a steep hill, and finally, they were deep in the forest. It was an old campsite, no benches if he didn't remember it when he was little it would've been forgotten. Blitzwing was the first to get out of the car, grabbing a lantern and shovel. Megatron was next, tapping the trunk, it popped open and Dreg’s bloody face stared up at him. He still wasn’t dead. Starscream stood next to him, pulling out a pistol, with a loud pop Dreg fell back into the car, his leg twitching. They waited for his muscles to stop, Megatron grabbed the tied up arms and legs, heaving the dead body up and over his shoulders.

  
    The lantern lit up the area, Blitzwing was red from the tiny fire, while the forest was a deep blue. The wind rustled the trees, Starscream shivered next to him, throwing on another coat before joining Blitzwing in the hole. Megatron set the dead body at his feet, sitting on a stump while his crew dug. Pulling out a cigar before cutting off the end and lighting it. Checking the pockets Dreg, pulling out his wallet, a pack of cigarettes and a tiny notebook. Blitzwing crawled out of the hole, helping Starscream out. Megatron shoved the objects into Starscream’s hands and heaves the dead body into the hole. He starts to bury Dreg, as Blitzwing came back with a massive bag of mulch. They toss that on top of Dreg, and a few buckets of worms, then finally the pile of dirt.

  
    Around 4 A.M. they pile back into the car and drive off.

  
    That was the 5th person this year.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Optimus!” Heatwave called before clinging to the pole and slipping down, grinning ear to ear. He ran up slapping Optimus on the shoulders. “You passed the test?”

    He laughed setting his massive bag down. “Yeah, I passed, even showed them my chili receipt.” He joked.

    “It’s not good if there’s no blood staining the porcelain.” He walked Optimus over to the stairs. “I get to show you the tour and get you fitted with the gear. We’ll go through how you get ready when we’ve been called and such.” He waved his hand around. “Trust me you’ll be timed on this after a week. It’ll be rough before you get used to it.” Heatwave smiled. “That’s your bunk.”

    Optimus tossed his bag on the bed, looking around to see the sleeping quarters. Beds were lined up against the wall, a bathroom to the side and the other side was a tiny kitchen. Some bed had posters or photos above them.

“You sleep here for 2 weeks then you’re sleeping home for two weeks, you’ll come in when they want ya.” Heatwave called setting into the kitchen. “Kitchen, clean your plates or else!” He shouted lifting a massive plate and pointing at another person. “Looking at you!”

The other fireman flipped him off.

They laughed, Optimus smiled, it felt good to smile.

* * *

 

The flames licked at the walls, up and devouring the ceiling. He fell back, his lungs stinging as he gasped for air. _Get up you old fool! No way in hell is this how you die!_ He snarled at himself, he stayed close to the ground as the kitchen around him burned, crawling along the floor. _Whoever decided to burn one of my restaurants to the ground is gonna face my wrath!_ He touched the doorknob, hissing as it burned into his palm. Megatron fell back onto the floor, staying down where he could breathe.

  
Megatron laid still under the table, grinding his teeth and mentally planning how to escape. The sink! He grinned crawling towards the sink, almost ripping off the cabinet doors and grabbing a bottle of glass cleaner. _Perfe-_ He sprayed a tiny flame roar into a fireball, he screamed shoving it into the cabinet again, reading all of the labels. Flammable, flammable, flammable! He shut the cabinet, turning to find that the flames were all around him now. Fear clawed at his chest, he crawled under the table hugging his knees to his chest. _Damn this._ He couldn’t escape, couldn’t breathe, and now his vision was starting to blackout. Megatron sank to the floor.

  
_THUNK!_

  
He weakly gasped turning towards the door as an ax cut through the door’s handle. The door was kicked in as a fireman rushed into the kitchen. “Help.” His voice was nothing compared to the roaring of the flames.

  
“Hello! Anyone?!” The man called.

  
He hissed dragging his body out from under the table, weakly waving at the man.

  
The fireman gasped, easily lifting Megatron off of the floor and rushing through the flames. Megatron coughed as the smoke filled his lungs, he stared up at the firefighter, his fingers curling the fabric. The firefighter looked down at him. He groaned his eyes burning as he shut them tight. The roar of the fire fades away as they stepped out of the building. “You’re alright, sir?” He asked.

  
Only then did Megatron open his eyes again, looking around to see firetrucks, police cars and ambulances, he was being carried over to a stretcher. The firefighter set him down, taking off his helmet as a police officer handed him a cup of water. He drank it down, gasping for air. “Is that everyone, sir?”

  
Megatron gaped at the firefighter, his mouth just hanging open, he knew firefighters were known for being good looking but not hot. _Don’t make a shitty pun old man._ But this was just impossible, he was a twig compared to Megatron, somehow he carried a 200-pound man with ease. Brown hair, an almost perfect magazine cover face, a dip in his chin and what seems to be the perfect ass eating lips. _You horny old bastard._

  
The firefighter was shoved back by an old medic, flashing light in Megatron’s eyes. “Nice to see you again, kid.” He grumbled clearly talking to the firefighter. “He’s fine, just needs to rest, lucky bastard.” He grumbled. “Might be in shock from being carried like a baby.”

  
The firefighter laughed. “Stop teasing him, Ratchet.” He looked over the old medic’s shoulder. “Is there anyone else left in the building, sir?”

  
He shook his head, coughing, and taking a cup of water from the medic. “No, not that I know of, I was just locked in the kitchen/break room.”

  
“Okay.” He said stepping away, Megatron watched him leave, wishing he wasn’t wearing those baggy thick clothing. _You wish he wasn’t wearing anything, see that nice tight ass._

  
“You alright, sir?” The medic asked listening to his chest. “You’re red-faced, and your heart is just getting faster.”

  
“Sorry I was just thinking.” He drank the water down, clearing out his throat.

  
The medic sighed shaking his head. “Sorry I have a few other people to check in on, but you’re fine, almost as healthy as a horse.” He frowned looking down at Megatron. “But a check at the hospital won’t hurt.” He left stepping into the ambulance behind him.

  
Megatron watched the group of firefighters, sitting up, his body screamed at him muscles refusing to work due to the lack of air. Forcing himself to stand, he grit his teeth, putting one foot in front of the other, and soon he found himself in his car, found his keys and drove off.

  
_But damn that firefighter._

 

* * *

 

 

“Hey, Ratchet.” He called running over to his friend as the fire died behind him. Seeing an empty stretcher. “Where’s the guy? The one I just brought you?”

  
“Huh?” Ratchet stepping out of his ambulance seeing that it was empty. “Where the hell?” He glanced around only seeing a faint few footprints. “He...I guess he just left?”

  
Optimus frowned at the empty stretcher as he heard all too familiar footsteps behind him, the arm that wrapped around his shoulders and the thick smell of cologne gave it away, Sentinel.

  
“Optimus, buddy, it’s good to see you.”  He grinned, Sentinel has this way with himself, each step held this mixture of pride and brown nosing to it.  
He forced down the longest sigh in all of human history.

“Sentinel.” He didn’t hate his friend, but it was hard not to. Sentinel pushed all of the blame for Elita’s death on him and even took over Optimus’ old position, then if that wasn’t enough he never visited, called or even sent a letter.

  
Sentinel pulled him away from the commotion, Optimus tried to ignore the smug look his on friend’s face, instead, he looked at the crowd of people, trying to pick out that man. “Optimus I’m going to let you in on a little secret, okay?”

  
“Why?” He didn’t look away from the crowd.

  
“Listen, you’re the better detective out of two of us, and even if you’re not in the force anymore I’d like your help with something.” He sighed staring out. “Okay so this restaurant behind us, it’s part of a chain, I can’t tell you all of them here and now. The chain is owned by the mafia, not just a regular ragtag team of gangs, but the head of the mob.”

  
“Wait.” He blinked, setting his ax down on his boot. “You mean that ‘Cast Iron’ guy?”

  
Sentinel nodded. “He owns the whole chain, but that’s the problem, no one knows what he looks like. Just big and scary.”

  
“Well, what can I do? I’m a firefighter, I’m not just gonna start walking into restaurants and ask for an owner.” He groaned rubbing his forehead. “Okay,” He pulled away from his friend. “Sentinel, let me explain something to you, I’m a firefighter, I can’t just walk in and pull out a little note pad and start asking questions. I’m an ex-cop, people know that they know I’m good friends with a few in the force and even a few medics.” He tossed his arms up, not even wincing as the ax fell. “I can’t do this, okay? I’m a firefighter! You’re a cop, you do your job!” He snapped, grabbing the ax off the pavement before stomping away.

  
Ratchet who was watching the whole scene before him, stepped out of his ambulance, waving him over. He leaned against the vehicle, rubbing his temples. “Here.” Ratchet handed him another cold bottle of water.

  
“Thanks.” He said almost guzzling the whole bottle down.

  
“Honestly about time you said something kid.” Ratchet said, watching his partner First Aid scurry around the few survivors. “If I were you, I would’ve broken his jaw.”

  
He smiled. “Any signs of that guy? The one with grey hair and looked like he was nothing but protein?”

  
Ratchet smirked at that. “Ohhh, hitting on a burn victim, you like the crunch?”

  
Optimus bit his tongue trying his hardest to not die.

  
“Would you call him beef jerky, or bacon in bed? Not to mention he's old.” Ratchet went on.

  
It took a while for Optimus to stop laughing, holding onto the ambulance's door frame. He shook his head, there were a few moments where Ratchet just knew what to say. Rarely did the old man share any of this with anyone else, meaning that Ratchet took a liking to him. “Oh please, you can’t judge me.”

  
“You like them old and crunchy, God forbid an elderly care center bursts into flames.”

  
That earned Ratchet a hard punch. “Say anything else and I’ll fill out the forms for your retirement, besides you can’t say anything, you’ve got some white-haired man haunting your sheets. How old is he? Like in his 20’s?”

  
Ratchet’s face burned red, he punched Optimus back. “I’ll have you know he’s my age.”

  
“Ratchet if he was your age he has to be a ghost.”

  
They stopped for a moment, bursting into laughter.

* * *

 

Megatron sat there, reading the news as Strika shared the table, making a few apple pies for a bake sale. “Do you ever find it kinda funny that we’re the mafia, and here you are making apple pies for a fundraiser?”

  
Strika snorted shaking her head. “Sure and you always walk by those donation boxes and throw in tons of cans or the bell ringers where you give them a hot coffee and slip in 300 bucks.”

  
He nodded his head. “Good point. I mean anything the restaurants can’t use we donate.”

  
“No one suspects a thing.” She stood up and looked down at her handy work before grabbing a mix of apples and seasonings.

  
Megatron set the paper down, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “I’m going to leave.”

  
“You know where the door’s at.” She shrugged.

  
“No Strika.” He grumbled, he sounded old and tired. “I mean _leave_.”

  
She paused, setting the apples down and then sitting down at the opposite end of the table. “Why?” Her face reflected everything, she was in shock.

  
“Look at me, I’m old.”

  
“You’re 28.”

  
“Do I look 28? No, I look like I’m 60.”

  
“So?”

  
“It’s the stress, I mean, I own a chain of restaurants, I can’t go out and bury people, or have any gang shootings anymore.” He sunk down in his chair. “Besides none of you need me, or this life anymore. Soundwave has twins and seems to be chasing after some astrologist, Starscream is rising in the ranks at the air academy. You and Lugnut have more than enough saved up for retirement and anything else.” He sighed, resting his head on his palm.

  
“What is this really about?” She pinned him down with her cold eyes.

  
He stared down at his keys, and his wallet, tossing his wallet to her. Strika opened it, frowning. “I’ve given my life to this little game of cops and robbers when we were kids that were fine. Now look at us, the rest of you have a life, a job, some kids or someone to come home to, I don’t.”

  
She tossed the wallet back to him. “I don’t understand.”

  
He stared down at the tiny blurry image. After the fire, he took a step back from the mafia life. _You’re old now, maybe it’s time to hang up the bandit mask?_ He didn’t order anybody around, letting Strika and Starscream take control, rarely saying anything. “That’s my daughter, I was 23 when she was born, her mom died.”

  
“Lord Megatron, I’m so sorry I didn’t know.” Strika dropped the tough act, instantly melting when she heard the mention of children.

  
“No one but Soundwave knows, I’ve only held her once, that was when her mom went into cardiac arrest.” He shook his head, thinking back to all his mistakes. “She’s five now, just started learning how to add and subtract. I think after that fire...I think it’s time I left.”

  
“I...I understand.” She said, wiping the flour off of her hands. “Have you told anyone else?”

  
He nodded. “Only Soundwave, he knows the whole story, and he’s okay. I plan to tell Starscream later on, but…”

  
“You know Lugnut is going to be an emotional wreck when I tell him?”

  
“He’ll understand, but then again he’s got you.”

  
“That reminds me!” She slapped her hand on the table. “So… I heard you lifted up like a baby by some handsome firefighter?”

  
_How did she know?!_ He buried his face in his hands. “Soundwave?”

  
She shook her head. “Just imagine Lord Megatron being carted away by some handsome knight who fought a fire breathing dragon!”

  
“No, no, Starscream?”

  
Strika laughed getting up to grab her cup of water. “He’ll carry you across the threshold and up the stairs,”

  
He slammed his head on the table.

  
“Throw you on the freshly made bed like some princess.” She went on, almost dancing around the kitchen table.

  
“You’re horrible.”

  
She stopped sitting back in her chair. “And then, AND THEN!” She grinned ear to ear. “He’ll suck the soul of you using your dick like a straw on a juice pack.”

  
Megatron burst into laughter, red-faced and slamming his fist on the table, he wasn’t sure how long he was laughing but his sides hurt and he was light-headed when he started to gasp for air. “Is that what you and Lugnut are like?”

 

 

He left Strika and Lugnut’s house a few hours ago, he headed towards one of his establishments, planning on checking how the ‘owner’ was and the business was. He parked his car at the park across the street, never a good idea to park outside of your business all the time, from there he simply walked around. Poking his head into small ma and pa shops while making his way to his business.

  
He wondered around this hat shop, his hands tucked behind his back as another employee asked if he needed help, politely declining. Just as he was about to ask a question _someone_ passed outside, Megatron quickly thanked the employee stepping out. _It can’t be_. He looked over the crowd of people, spotting a light brown head of hair. _Strika you had to put those images in my head_. He followed the man, shoving his hands into his pockets, keeping a good distance between him and the stranger.

  
Only when a group of people waited for a walking signal did he lose sight of the fluffy head of hair. He waited with the group, looking at of them, yet he didn’t find the hair again. He followed the group as the crossed, only to look to his left to see the head of hair. Megatron cursed pushing through the crowd and into a new one, only a few feet behind the stranger. They crossed, the man stopped, slipping his phone into his pocket.

  
“He-” Megatron stopped as the guy turned around, clearly not the firefighter due to the thick glasses and horrible haircut. He snapped his mouth shut and continued down the street. _Just my luck… I mean do you honestly think you’ll just bump into him like some romantic comedy crap?_ He stopped looking up from the ground as he approached an ice cream shop, Megatron shrugged, trying to think when the last time he had ice cream. _Screw it, when was the last time you treated yourself?_

  
He stepped in, always looking at every corner of the shop, a habit he picked up when he used to steal. Cash register, tired employee, that circle mirror thingy, a mother and twins, that really hot firefighter, a couple of teens. Megatron stopped, staring at the firefighter who was reading a book while enjoying an ice cream cone. _I came in here for ice cream and I get a snack… who’s writing this horrible romantic comedy?_ He turned away as the man looked up from his book.  
From the corner of his eye, he watched at the firefighter rolled his eyes, licking off the drips of ice cream. He set his book down and cleaned up the mess before taking another bite, looking around the shop. Megatron stood still, reading the menu yet he kept an eye on the man. The firefighter stopped, staring at him, his face scrunched and his eyes almost narrowed, he mouthed the word ‘no’ a few times and shook his head. Megatron pushed his luck looking over, the man quickly turned to stare out the window, his cheeks a little bit pinker.

  
He got the front of the line, ordering only one scoop, he felt the eyes on his back as he read the flavors. Stopping as a hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, Megatron looked down staring at the firefighter.

  
“Sir?” The tried employee repeated.

  
“Oh sorry, just a scoop of rocky road.” He didn’t look up from the firefighter as his cone was handed to him, giving the employee a 20 and telling him to keep the change. Megatron sat down, sharing the table with the firefighter, taking a tiny lick of his cone. “Hi.”

  
Instantly his shoulders relaxed, the man sighed. “You have no idea how stupid it was to just walk away from a fire.” He hissed.

  
“You’re dripping.”

  
The man rolled his eyes and once again cleaned himself up again. “I mean Ratchet was going to take you to the hospital for a check-up.” He took another bite of his cone. “I mean think of the problems you can have just from that.”

  
Megatron ate his cone in peace before answering. “I see, I didn’t know and thought it would be best if I left.” He shrugged playing it off. “I don’t feel any different.”

  
The firefighter sighed, finally eating the rest of his cone. “At least tell me you had a checkup recently.”

  
“I did, they said I’m fine.”

  
“Good.”

  
“I wanted to thank you.” He glanced out the window seeing a group of people walking up to the shop. “I mean you carried a 200-pound man out of a burning building,” He got to his feet. “Sorry I’m not one for crowds in small places, do you want to join me on a walk?”

  
He smiled getting up. “That would be nice, besides I haven’t been down this street for a while.”

 

* * *

“What’s it like being a fireman?”

  
“Hmmm.” Optimus was looking at the man, this time studying his features being that the last time they saw one another he was covered in soot. The man was tall, about a foot taller than Optimus, he had thick shoulders and almost looked like the kind of man to fight a bear. He has a mix of black and grey hair, yet he looked rather young, like a few years older. Optimus stopped, the taller of the two stopped next to him. “Sorry, I was thinking. Being a firefighter is well... weird, I mean I was trying to become a cop before but that didn’t turn out. So I switched careers and here I am. It’s a lot of hard work, have to be physically fit, they have a lot of drills and maintenance around the house.”

  
He nodded along. “Is it common for you to go in and rescue someone?”

  
“That generally depends on where you’re at, we’re in a city and a lot of people live in condos, it’s hard to put out the fire when the building is a few floors tall. Compared to let’s say a small town with one or two story buildings. But yeah I do have to go in almost every other call.”

  
“Interesting,”

  
“What about you, what do you do?” They stopped as a group of kids ran in front of them.

  
“I own a few restaurants, nothing else really.” He shrugged.

  
“No family? Friends?”

  
“No close family, or well anyone close. Some close friends.” He shrugged. “Nothing really, you?”

  
“My family is on the other side of the state, and I have few college and police friends.” Optimus paused, his stomach growling, he cleared his throat.

  
“Let's get lunch,” He smiled.

  
“Wow, lunch with a total stranger.” Optimus joked only to have a massive hand shoved towards him. “Oh?” He took it.

  
“Megatron.” He shook Optimus’ hand.

  
“Optimus. Have to admit this is a rather strange way of meeting someone.”

  
“I agree.” Megatron looked around. “I’m not one for fast food, how about a bar?”

  
Optimus pointed to one called Swerve’s. “I hear that one is great for a drink, but I haven’t heard anything about their food.”

  
“What are you, a food critic? Are you going to start yelling when someone under cooks your stake?” He joked tossing his hands up.

  
Optimus rolled his eyes. “I’ll have you know that at the station they will blast you with a hose in your sleep, if your chili isn’t hot enough. Besides you’re not a cook.”

  
Megatron gasped, faking his offended face. “I’ll have you know that I’m Italian and a restaurant owner, 90% of my job is yelling words and cooking.”

  
“Ah, ‘owner’, not cook.” He pointed out.

  
“Ah, ‘firefighter’, not cook.” Megatron shrugged. “Not like you could handle my food.”

  
“Oh, look at you, you have no idea what hell I can bring into a kitchen.”

  
They glared at one another before smirking, Megatron laughed slapping his back, Optimus shook his head. Finally making their way to the bar.

 

 

  
“Optimus!”

  
Optimus stopped as he felt Sari body slam into his back, he grunted stumbling forward. Only to swing around and scoop up the girl in one arm. Instantly she was crawling up his shoulder and sitting on it. “You’re too big for that!”

  
Sari stuck her tongue out. “Let me feel like I have power!” She yelled looking at a couple “Peasants.” The couple laughed at her.

  
He laughed, continuing down the sidewalk, one arm holding Sari in place while the other held a bottle of water. “Alright, you gremlin what are you doing now?”

  
“You’re getting a bald spot Optimus.” She said picking at his hair.

  
“I am not!” He yelled swatting her hands away. He met Sari when her uncle collapsed at home, Optimus calmed her down as Ratchet looked at her dad. Isaac was still in the hospital, and every Friday Optimus would wait at this corner for Sari and they would walk to the hospital together. He grew to love her, she was spunky but had this sly charm to her, kinda reminded him of Megatron.

  
“Optimus?”

  
He stopped turning to see an all too familiar sight, three faces, Prowl, who is a cop and a good friend, Bumblebee and Bulkhead were from his college days. Bumblebee ran at him, half hugging him half tackling him. “Bumblebee!” He yelled holding onto Sari as he lost his balance. Bulkhead grabbed the three of them, heaving them up into a hug, Optimus couldn’t feel the ground under him and Sari was giggling as she climbed onto Bulkhead’s shoulder. Prowl came back and patted Optimus’ shoulder. “Hi everyone.” He smiled.

  
“Where have you been?!” Bumblebee frowned.

  
“He’s been at the fire station.” Prowl said.

  
“What?” Bulkhead and Bumblebee said in unison, the bigger dropped them onto the sidewalk.

  
“Yeah, the fire station.” He said pulling himself up off the ground.

  
“What happened to the police job?” Bumblebee prodded, sitting on the sidewalk.

  
“I quit,” He shrugged.

  
“QUIT?!” Bumblebee repeated. “Oh no, I’m calling Kup, telling him you threw out all those extra studying hours.”

  
“Who’s this little lady?” Bulkhead said looking towards Sari. “Did you have a kid Optimus?”

  
Sari grinned like the devil himself. “Dad, who are these guys?”

  
That’s when Prowl started to chuckle.

  
Optimus groaned, picking Sari off of Bulkhead. “No, she’s not mine. I quit when Elita passed. And I’m more than happy with being a fireman.” He pulled Bumblebee off of the sidewalk. “And don’t you dare call Kup.”

  
“Dad I like these guys, can we keep them?” Sari teased.

  
“What are you two doing in town?” Optimus ignored her looking at his old college friends.

  
“Bumblebee is my rookie, and we bumped into Bulkhead who’s trying for a construction job,” Prowl said folding his arms, his horrible 70’s porno mustache still had some cream from his morning coffee. “What about you and Sari?”

  
    “I’m taking Sari to visit her uncle in the hospital.” The group shuffled down the street. Sari sat comfortably on his shoulders, Bumblebee constantly made faces are her, while Bulkhead made sure she stayed on Optimus’ shoulders, and finally Prowl hung back.

  
    “The hospital?” Bee frowned up at Sari.

  
    “I hope he’s doing alright,” Bulkhead said patting Sari’s head.

  
    Sari smiled. “He’s fine, just fell at home.”

  
    Optimus knew it was worse than that, Sari might be put into a foster home soon, shame that she had to have this happen at such a young age. If I had my own house and someone to share it with I wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on her. That thought was chased away as his phone went off, he only skimmed it reading the first few letters

  
    **Megatron:**  
**Sent photo**  
**‘Are we still good for dinner tonight? I got the goods.’**

  
    “So what else is new Optimus?” Bee elbowed him. “Got someone special?”

  
    “‘Are we still good for dinner tonight? I got the goods’” Sari peered over his head. “He’s got a date!”

  
    “No, he’s a friend. He just thinks he’s the better cook them me.”

  
    The whole group even Prowl ‘ooo’d’.

  
    Optimus rolled his eyes, continuing down the sidewalk and towards the hospital. “Stop it, he’s a good friend.”

  
    “He’s blushing!” Sari yelled, high fiving his friends.

  
    “I am not!” He yelled, the group started to turn the corner, Optimus wasn’t looking as he faces planted into what felt like a brick wall wrapped in flesh. It made a solid ‘oof’ and grabbed his shoulders. “Sorry about that.” He glanced up and saw an all too familiar face. “Megatron?”

  
    “Optimus.” He nodded, pulling his hands away as they were dragged down my goods. He cocked an eyebrow at the child on Optimus’ shoulders. For a second there seemed to be just a bit of pain in his face before he smiled. “When did you become a dad?”

  
    “She’s no-”

  
    “He just pooped me out last night.”

  
    Even Prowl cracked at that, Bulkhead and Bee started to break into laughter. Optimus only sighed. Lifting Sari off is his shoulders. “That’s it, you’re walking.” Sari frowned, only to have Bulkhead pick her up and set her on his shoulders. “I’m taking Sari to see her uncle at the hospital. We bumped into a few old friends of mine, Bulkhead and Bumblebee are from college and Prowl is a friend from my Police days.”

  
    “Ah,” He pulled back one of the bags and offered his hand to each of them. “Nice to meet you all. I’m sorry I have some running around to do.” He turned towards Optimus. “Are we still good for dinner tonight?”

  
    Optimus ignored the gasps and the tiny squeal from Sari. “Oh of course. Around 6ish right?”

  
    “Right. I hope the rest of you have a great day.” He smiled and passed.

  
    Optimus turned to his group of friends, for once they all were quiet, Prowl stood there blinking, while Bee had his mouth hanging open and Bulkhead was watching Megatron walk away. “What?” Optimus asked.

  
    “Gotta say Optimus, that’s a fine piece of meat,” Sari said.

  
    “He’s bigger than you, and I’ve only heard myths of people bigger than you,” Bee mentioned, still stunned.

  
    Optimus rolled his eyes. “Come on, let’s drop you off at the hospital.”

  
    “I’m no expert but I think that’s a class A DILF if I’ve ever seen one.” Sari grinned, earning a high five from Bumblebee and a loud groan from Optimus.

 

* * *

He stood in the corner of the room, looking over the sad scene. The hospital room was packed with equipment, tubes and wires were carelessly thrown all over. The bed looked too big for the man, Isaac was small, far too small to be healthy. His belly was gone, his skin was pale and he had bags under his eyes.

  
    He blinked, sitting up and sipping a glass of water. “Good to see you again.” He was weak.

  
    He rumbled staring down at Isaac. “I only found out today. Why didn’t you tell me?”

  
    The man only laughed, it was only wheezing. “And what? Have you take Sari away and have her find out the truth?”

  
    Megatron sighed licking his lips. “I would’ve found another home for her, somewhere safe and away from me.”

  
    Isaac shook his head. “Face it Iron, you’ll go mad if you don’t know where she is. Maybe it’s time you raised her?”

  
    He closed his mouth, clenching his fists, a mixture of guilt and fear settled over him. “You know why I can’t.”

  
    “She was born a month early, and no one thought she would make it, maybe her father should show that same spirit?” He smiled.

  
    He frowned, looking at the floor. “I’ll think about it.”

  
    Isaac stared at him, unblinking emotionless eyes. “We both know what you’re going to do.”

* * *

Optimus rolled over, throwing an arm around Megatron. Megatron groaned before pulling him closer. “What are you doing?” He mumbled, not even lifting his head.

  
    Megatron blinked open an eye. “Nothing,”

  
    He huffed, propping himself up on his elbows. “You haven’t even fallen asleep, and after what we just did, _you better be asleep_.” He snapped poking a finger at the broad chest.

  
    Megatron shook his head, rumbling. “You’re the one who fell asleep first.”

  
    Optimus rolled his eye. “What’s wrong?”

  
    “I’ve been thinking about a few things, it’s just work nothing more.” He rested a hand on Optimus’ back. “You’re right we should get some rest.” Megatron finally closed his eyes and relaxed in the bed, mindlessly stroking Optimus’ back.

  
    Optimus rested his head on the heap of a chest, humming as he stared at the thick gold ring on his finger. Truthfully he couldn’t be more happy with his life at the moment, he’d known Megatron for a few years, but everything fit right into place. And now they laid in the master bedroom of their house. He dozed off thinking of his comfortable life, only to jump hearing his phone buzz. Megatron groaned under him, rolling onto his side and watching him drag his phone out of his pants. “Hello?”

  
    “Is this Optimus?” The lady asked over the phone.

  
    “Yeah?”

  
    “I hate to tell you this but we have a Sari Sumdac waiting here at Skyridge hospital.” Her voice dropped a little.

  
    It felt like every coffee shop in a 5-mile radius gifted him every cup of coffee at their disposal. “What happened?” He jumped up and fished out his boxers.

  
    “Her uncle passed, and we’ve been informed to call you as her foster provider.”

  
    “Alright, I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

  
    “Bring a form of I.D. sir.” She hung up.

  
    Optimus set his phone down, yanking his pants up. “I gotta go.”

  
    “Go? Where it’s 3 A.M.?” Megatron sat up, grabbing his own pants.

  
    “That girl, Sari, her uncle just passed.”

  
    “Oh!” Megatron slipped on a shirt and kicked his shoes on, grabbing his keys. “I’m driving.”

  
    Optimus didn’t argue, grabbing his wallet as they dashed out the door. Megatron started the car and drove off. Optimus stared out the window, it started to rain. The drive was quick, almost too quick, Optimus glanced overseeing that Megatron was going at least 15 over by the time they pulled up. He could care less jumping out of the car and running into the hospital.

  
    Ratchet was waiting for him, for once he looked more than tired, waving Optimus over. “He passed not too long ago, Sari is asleep in the waiting room. We would’ve called you earlier but they just got here.” They two walked together, stepping into the waiting room. Sari laid curled up on the sofa, Drift sat next to her rubbing her back. “How is she?” Ratchet asked as Drift stood up.

  
    “Tired, she just fell asleep.” Drift hugged Ratchet. “I’m going to go home in a bit, let me know if you need anything.”

  
    Optimus knelt down wrapping the blanket around Sari and picking her up. She mumbled and blinked her eyes before yawning and smiling up at him. “Hi.”

  
    “Good morning, Optimus.” She blinked the sleepiness from her eyes. “Where’s Uncle Isaac?”

  
    Optimus sighed. “Sari, you’ll be spending the night with Megatron and me, okay?”

  
    “Okay.” She yawned. “Can we get ice cream?”

  
    “Sure.” He smiled sadly, holding her in one arm as he signed the papers.

 

* * *

Megatron watched as Optimus carried Sari to the car, he opened the back door. Sari yawned and buckled herself up, resting her head against the door window. Optimus sat down next to him. “Optimus?”

  
    “Ice cream, she wants ice cream.” He rubbed his forehead, he didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to.

  
    Megatron nodded, driving off. He would glance over to Optimus, then into the rearview mirror at Sari. _Like it or not old man, it’s time._ He parked the car, waking up Optimus and then Sari, he picked her up. “Alright kiddo, what do you want?” The three of them stumbled into the store. Sari clung to his neck, trying to stay awake. He stood in front of the ice cream. “Pick whatever and as many as you want.”

  
    Sari grumbled and pointed at rocky road, and then to some salted vanilla caramel.

  
    “Alright.” Optimus grabbed the two containers. “Anything else kiddo?”

  
    “Hmmm… Spaghetti.” She mumbled in his shoulder.

  
    “I’ll make you some when we get home, alright?” Megatron asked.

  
    She nodded and hugged Megatron tighter, burying her tired face into his shoulder.

  
_And like that, I’m a dad._

    He piled the noodles onto the plates and then the sauce and cheese, carrying all three plates of spaghetti over to the sofa. Gaslight was playing, Optimus was awake, while Sari slept in his lap, he smiled up at Megatron taking two plates and waking Sari up. “Thank you.”

  
    Megatron just grunted and sat down on the other side of Optimus. Watching Sari sit up and dig into the plate, devouring it like a heathen. “Even sharks take a break.” He joked.

  
    “Piranhas don’t.” She joked back, jamming her mouth full of noodles and pushing the plate back, burped and curled up between then and promptly fell asleep.

  
    “Animal.” He mumbled.

  
    Optimus only had a few bites before setting his plate down, leaning against Megatron. “Thanks for driving, and the ice cream, and cooking.” He painfully smiled.

  
    Megatron patted his back. “It’s okay...so?”

  
    “We’re a family now, just have some more paperwork to fill out and turn the guest room into her room.” He sighed, emotionally drained, looking up at Megatron. “Thank you hairy, sweaty Italian man that I love.”

  
    He laughed. “You’re welcome twunk country boy who can’t cook that I love with all my heart.”

  
    “Just for that ‘can’t cook’ you’re not getting a kiss.” He stuck his tongue out.

  
    Megatron grinned sticking his tongue out and grabbing the back of Optimus’ head, ‘kissing’ him.

 


	2. A Comfortable Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pretty much a normal day to day for this family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I FORGOT I HAD THIS FIC!  
> Have a sweaty Italian man with his meaty salami, a country boy with his horses and cowboy hat, and their child that is a horrible mix of Italian Indian and country (Sari is a man made monster we love!)  
> If you don't know what you're doing clap your hands!  
> If you're clueless clap your hands!  
> Keep clapping them until they break!

“Hey, Optimus!” Heatwave yelled across the garage.  
    “Wh- ow!” He hit his head on the shelf, kicking the wall. “What?!” He groaned rubbing his head, his head started to ache as he crossed the garage, looking outside to see the guys cleaning the fire engine, Inferno threw a sponge at First Aid. First Aid screamed and blasted Inferno with the hose, once the engine was clean they’d pull out the tanker. Optimus rolled his eyes jogging up the stairs. “What can I do for ya?” He smiled, it’s been a nice shift, mostly medical calls and he did have to pull a teenager out of a kiddie swing (that was fun).  
    Heatwave held up a schedule. “Lucky you, next 48 hours are yours.”  
    “Wait really?” Optimus took the paper, admittedly he found the 24 hours on and 48 hours strange and hard, but now he just kept forgetting. Sometimes he’d be called in other times Heatwave hit him with a broom. Sure enough, his shift was over. “Well, would you look at that.” He grinned.  
    “Wow, it’s like you can go home.” Ratchet said, pouring himself a cup of coffee.  
    Optimus elbowed the Medic. “Yeah, at least I can walk without a limp.”  
    Ratchet’s old face turned a bright red. “Hey!”  
    “Okay enough.” Heatwave snaped. “Optimus you got 30 minutes to grab your crap and get out, or I’m grabbing the broom.”  
    “Just for that.” Optimus grabbed the broom. “This is mine.” He stuck his tongue out grabbing his duffle bag and a few clothes. His bed was already made, his old clothes and his tubaware from the fridge. Finally, his coat and phone, tossing his bag over the shoulder and grabbing the broom. He waved at Heatwave, First Aid and Inferno and gave Ratchet the bird. He checked his phone, sending a text to Megatron as he walked towards Sari’s school. Every 48 hours he couldn’t wait to see his little girl, part of him wished he didn’t have to stay overnight at the station. But the time he had with Sari was always sweeter.  
    Optimus sat under a tree, checking his phone, and pulling the grass up (Sari did that a lot and he picked up the childish habit). He heard the bell ring and a few minutes later he saw her, walking...running….sprinting. And the funniest thing happened, it didn’t occur to Optimus that Sari was getting bigger until she barreled into him, knocking the air out of him and slamming him back into the ground.  
    “DAD!” Sari yelled, her tiny arms wrapping around his neck and ‘hugging’ him when in reality she was strangling him.  
    “I missed you too!” He coughed out, patting Sari. “Air, I need air!”  
    She let go of his neck and gave him a bigger hug. “How was your day?”  
    “I stole a broom from Heatwave.” He held up the broom.  
    That was a mistake, Sari yanked it out of his grasp. “Hold on I need to beat someone up.”  
    “No, you don’t!” He grabbed the handle, lifting her and the broom up, Optimus frowned and shook her off, Sari fell on her butt, stuck out her tongue. “You already have a kid a black eye, you’re not hitting anyone with a broom.”  
    She huffed crossing her arms. “Fine.”  
    “God, you’re just like your Pap.” He rolled his eyes, Sari was just like Megatron, almost in a creepy way. Megatron would say something and Sari would mimic him, she has the same walk, the same gestures. The best part was when Sari would openly mock Megatron, he would clear his throat and she’s clear her’s but LOUDER. Optimus loved watching the two of them, it was like watching a comedy duo. “Speaking of your Pap.” He heaved her up by her backpack. “Let’s visit him.”  
    “Can we mooch off of him?” Her eyes grew wide a grin spread across her face.  
    “I’m cooking tonight, first night home, I get to cook.” Optimus pulled his phone out. “Okay he’s at The Melting Pot, let's go crash the place.”  
    Sari grinned pulling the broom free and holding it between her legs. “Let’s get him my pretties!”  
    Optimus laughed ruffling her hair and tossing his bag over his shoulder. They headed downtown, Sari held his hand as they walked, they stopped to grab two shakes. The two of them sat down outside a dog park, watching the owners play with their dogs.  
    “Sari?”  
    “Hmm?” She finished her drink and tossed it in the trash.  
    “Your birthday is coming up, what do you want?” Optimus stared down at the redhead.  
    “Hmmm…” She stopped watching a certain dog jump up for a treat from his owner, the dog easily jumped 5 feet like it was nothing and snatched the treat out of the owner's’ hand. “I want a puppy.”  
    “A puppy?”  
    “A rescue or a puppy, as long as it’s like that dog.” She pointed to a black and white dog with a big chest and a square head. “I like how strong they look.”  
    He stared at the dog, it was a beefy dog. “Okay, what else?”  
    “Hmmm...I’m not sure, mostly I want a dog.” She shrugged, her feet swinging back and forth.  
    It’s been three years since Sari came into his life, and she just fit perfectly between Megatron and him. The week after Sari was adopted was nothing short of a mess, the first night they all fell asleep on the sofa, the next day Megatron got a bed and dresser while Optimus gathered up Sari’s things. The next day all three of them painted Sari’s room and set it all up, Optimus and Megatron sat Sari down and explained to her that Issac died and that she’d be living with them. Sari cried a lot, Optimus was pulled away for work while Megatron handled Sari, Optimus didn’t know what Megatron said but Sari seemed better. Her room was finished and she was back in school. He really couldn’t have a better life.  
    They stepped into The Melting Pot, it was packed, Optimus picked Sari up and sat her down in their spot, watching as the servers navigated the restaurant. One of the servers recognized them and got them drinks and chips. Optimus kept an eye on the whole restaurant, he’d rather go into a burning building then work in this, or the kitchen.  
    A few minutes later Megatron stepped out, rubbing his face before kissing Optimus and hugging Sari. He flopped across from them. “What’s with the broom?”  
    Sari still clung to it. “I’m a witch.”  
    “Yeah, you are.” Megatron nodded, yawning. “Give me 30 minutes and we’ll head home, I got to replace a mixer, damn thing broke.”  
    Optimus kicked him under the table, it was bad enough Sari would walk in on them, she didn’t need to pick up curse words. “I’m sorry to hear that.”  
    “Ow, just ow Optimus.” He hissed dragging out his ‘pain’ as he grabbed at his leg.  
    Sari laughed. “Looks like someone is going to have blue balls.”  
    “Sari!” Optimus gasped, yanking the broom from her and hitting Megatron with it. “Stop! Staying! Those! Things!”  
    Sari started laughing again, and a few customers watched, some of the workers started laughing. “Okay, okay!” Megatron gasped. “I’ll stop saying ‘fuck’, ‘dammit’, ‘shit-”  
    “Megatron!” Optimus gave in.  
    Megatron started laughing. “Okay, now that I’m filthy, we’ll go home.” He dug out his keys and tossed them to Optimus. “I’ve been here since 1 a.m., you’re driving.” He frankly said getting to his feet. All three of them disappeared in the back, Megatron passed his workers telling his chief that the batch of dough was done.  
    Sari threw herself in the back of the car along with Optimus’ duffle bag, Megatron sat and fell asleep in the passenger side and Optimus drove.  
  
    Sari hunched over her homework, tapping a pencil on her paper. “Dad, why do I need to learn how to divide?” She frowned.  
    Optimus looked up from the other end of the table, holding the meat mallet. “It’s a helpful skill for anything, I know it’s hard to learn at first but we use it every day.”  
    “I use it to split the tips whenever there’s a slow night,” Megatron called from upstairs, trotting down the stairs with a towel around his waist. “What’s for dinner?”  
    “Stakes.” Optimus stared at his family, Megatron pulled out some glasses and a pen, Sari wiggled in her seat her tongue sticking out.  
    “I missed your stakes.” Sari smiled.  
    “What’s wrong with my cooking?” Megatron copied the problems to his own sheet.  
    “I’m not fond of waiting several hours for a simple meal and the smell of a sweaty Italian man.”  
    Megatron gasped, Optimus laughed. “I may be cooking tonight but Sari just made a mean roast.”  
    “Betrayal, by my own family!” Megatron yelled grabbing his chest and slumping in his chair. “I could be single, running the streets, no one would stop me.”  
    “I don’t know Pap, Dad’s aging like fine wine and you’re… cottage cheese.”  
    “Sari!” Optimus howled laughing, fighting back tears. God damn his daughter could roast someone right into the bowels of hell if she wanted to. He set their plates and grabbed two beers for Megatron and him. All three of them huddled over Sari’s homework. “Okay so...7 x 6…”  
    “Well, that's-” Optimus kicked Megatron’s chair.  
    “7 x 5 is 35, so add 6 and...42?” Sari sat back, taking a bite of her stake.  
    “Yeah.” Optimus ruffled her hair. “Is that it?”  
    “Yep!” Sari grinned falling back in her chair. “Hey Dad, can we go to the mall tomorrow?”  
    “What’s at the mall?” He asked.  
    “A toy shop, she wants some toy there.” Megatron finished his stake and sat back in his chair. “She’s been bugging me all week.”  
    Optimus shrugged. “Alright, we’ll go.” He staked their plates and tossed his empty beer into the trash. “We’ll leave around noonish?”  
    Sari nodded. “Sounds perfect.” She jumped up, packing her bag. “Y’all good if I take a shower?”  
    “Yeah.” Optimus snorted. “‘Y’all’?” Shooting a glare at Megatron as Sari ran up the stairs and the sound of the shower echoed in the house. “Where’d she learn the term…’y’all’?”  
    Megatron looked away, a slight red tint to his cheeks. “I have no idea what you mean?”  
    He shot a look at Megatron. “Honey I know you’re lying.”  
    “We like to mock you whenever your country accent pops up.” A tiny grin spread across his face.  
    Optimus inched closer to him and whispered. “It only pops up in bed and when I’m angry on the phone.”  
    Megatron nodded. “Well, you’re very...loud.”  
    He groaned hunching over the table. “Does she know what sex is?”  
    “She knows but doesn’t understand what it really is.”  
    “She’s not even in middle school.” He hissed.  
    “Yep, that was a fun morning.”  
    He groaned getting back to his feet and packing away dinner and starting the dishwasher. The feeling of eyes on his back sent shivers up his spine, he heard the chair scrape against the flood and then warm hands on his hips and a head on his shoulder. Megatron pressed against him, sighing. “Ya keep this up an’ ah swear there’ll be no way that chillin of ours won’t know what sex is.”  
    Megatron snorted. “Now you’re just being a dick.”  
    “Well, am ah?” Optimus snapped, laying his accent on even thicker.  
    Megatron rolled his eyes. “Schmuck.”  
    Optimus grabbed the leftovers, sucking in a breath of air as he pushed Megatron away with his butt. Megatron stumbled back, huffing as he crossed his arms and left the kitchen. Optimus finished packing away the leftovers, stripping off his apron and washing his hands one last time before leaving the kitchen.  
    Megatron was already on the sofa, arms folded and head tucked in them (he looked like Ratchet whenever he sat down at the hospital). Optimus rolled his optics, turning down the tv and leaning against Megatron. “Mm?” Megatron opened one eye, looking down at Optimus.  
    Optimus yawned. “Sari wants a dog.”  
    “Okay, we just need to repaint the fence in the back, fix the gate, so what?” He shrugged.  
    “She wants a rescue.” He was still worried about it, a dog was a huge responsibility, for everyone.  
    “Rescue?” Megatron laughed.  
    “You’re okay with it?”  
    “Why wouldn’t I be? It’ll have to wait until after her birthday.”  
    Optimus sighed. “Okay, what store does she want to go to?” He changed the subject.  
    “I don’t know, it’s called ‘Jabberwocky’s’? Spend some time with our ‘chillin’.” Megatron wrapped an arm around him, pulling him close.  
    Optimus elbowed him in the chest. “I swear sometimes that chillin of ours is just a clone of you.”  
    Megatron laughed, eyes looking around the living room. “Oh hey, who are we gonna invite to the party, smoke master?”  
    Optimus shrugged. “Some of your friends, Soundwave’s twins seem to love to get Sari into trouble. And Strika and Bulkhead almost fight over the poor girl. Some of her classmates...anyone else?”  
    “Prowl, Ratchet, Drift, Bumblebee (he’s a must)...Sentinel?”  
    “No, oh there’s no way in hell that man is coming.” Optimus snapped.  
    Megatron frowned. “Isn’t he an old college friend or something?”  
    Optimus pulled away from Megatron. “You know I hate him, you dislike him and Sari secretly flips him off. So no.” The sweet mood was ruined instead Optimus sat away from Megatron, his husband sensed it, resting a hand on his back and rubbing a soothing circle. He yawned about to fall into sleep when he heard Sari stomp out of the shower and down into the stairs. Sari grumbled shampoo in her hair, a towel wrapped around her, she stopped in front of the supply closet and pulled out a bottle of soap.  
    “I live with two schmucks, neither of them can PUT SOAP IN THE SHOWER!” She yelled flipping them off before stomping up the stairs.  
    Optimus slowly turned back to his husband, Megatron simply sat there, dumbfounded. “WHERE DID SHE LEARN ‘SCHMUCK’!?”

* * *

Megatron spat out his toothpaste, rinsing his mouth again as Optimus slipped on his soft PJ pants. He rinsed his face again and flossed.  
    “I swear if you spend any more time in front of that mirror, I’ll hire someone to paint your portrait before bed every night.” Optimus snapped, grabbing his own toothbrush.  
    “I love you SO much.” He grumbled, moving over and letting Optimus have the sink. Watching the love of his life floss, truly beautiful. Once Optimus was done washing his face did Megatron strike, licking the side of his face and getting a weak punch in the shoulder.  
    “You ass!” He gasped grabbing the towel and cleaning his face again.  
    “Tasty.” He rumbled, turning and leaving the bathroom. Laying down on their bed and grabbing his phone, he sent a few texts to his friends before plugging it into the charger. Taking the book he’d been reading instead and his night glasses.  
    Optimus flopped down next to him, snorting. “I can’t get over that your reading glasses have that old person string on them.” He grinned.  
    “I can’t get over that you know how to tie a horse up to a plow.” Megatron shot back, smiling.  
    Optimus gasped, checking his phone and rolling onto his side. “I don’t hate Sentinel, I just…”  
    Megatron sighed. “No honey you hate him.”  
    “Mmm...he’s still not coming.”  
    “Okay, I don’t want him here either, that man makes an ass out of himself.”  
    Optimus rolled onto his back groaning. “After that stupid...STUPID mistake of mine...he’s just.”  
    “It wasn’t your mistake, you weren’t the only person in the warehouse.” Megatron put his book down, this was an ongoing battle. Optimus would blame himself for the fire, for Elita’s death, when in fact it was Megatron’s fault. He planned it, all of it, Sentinel and Optimus were supposed to die in that fire too. Megatron thanked whatever God out there didn’t let Optimus die that night.  
    Optimus frowned. “I should’ve stopped it.”  
    Megatron took off his glasses and turned off the light, laying on his side and pressing a kiss to Optimus’ forehead. “Come here.” He pulled Optimus closer, holding him close.  
    “Thank you, sweaty Italian man.”  
    “Welcome sunburnt redneck.”  
  
    Megatron woke up first, rubbing his eyes, something was off, blinking the sleep from his eyes and he sat up.  
    “Pap?”  
    He turned to see Sari standing at the foot of their bed, he relaxed. “What’s wrong?”  
    Sari was wide-eyed. “I had a nightmare.”  
    Optimus was waking up. “A nightmare?”  
    “Come here.” Megatron waved her over, scooping her up in one arm and tossing her between them. Sari smiled slipping under the covers. “Better?” She nodded.  
    Optimus huffed, sitting up. “Your Pap steals the covers, so beware that.”  
    Megatron rolled his eyes, falling on his stomach and throwing an arm over Sari and grabbing Optimus’ shoulder. “Goodnight.”  
    “Goodnight.”  
    “Goodnight.”  
  
    Megatron always got up first, taking a quick shower and slicking his hair back before dressing up. He looked at their bed seeing Optimus and Sari both sprawled out like they were thrown from a semi that was pushing 120 mph, majestic. Megatron laughed, grabbing his phone and pulling the covers up to their chins, pressing a kiss to Sari’s forehead and a light kiss on Optimus’ lips.  
    He made his way downstairs, the sun hadn’t even risen, Megatron stepped into the kitchen grabbing some eggs and bacon. Tossing them into a pan as he looked out the window. He frowned, the outside motion light was on, shaking it off as the light turned off. Sari was never a child that would get nightmares, that girl wasn’t scared of anything, she’d already seen every horror movie up to date. Sometimes his own daughter scared him, while Optimus and he had to keep a light on. “I’m sure it’s just a phase.”  
    “Think so?” Optimus said, falling into the seat, yawning.  
    “It must be,” He shrugged. “One or two?”  
    “Two, please?”  
    “Two. It has to be, or maybe it only happens once?” Megatron cracked the eggs. “She up?”  
    “Slowly.” Optimus yawned.  
    “Gonna take her to the mall?”  
    “Yeah, I got to run around a little bit, and besides it’ll be fun.”  
    “Good, have some fun for once,” Megatron started the coffee maker and grabbed the orange juice, setting it on the table.  
    “Alright, alright…” Optimus smiled up at him. “How did I ever met a man like you?”  
    “You saved my fat ass from a fire and I ran away (I have no idea how you picked me up) and then we bumped into one another at an ice cream shop.”  
    “Oh right.” Optimus laughed. “Then again everyone thinks you dominate.”  
    Megatron stopped, he knew that the heat from the stove wasn’t making him blush.

* * *

 

  
    “Alright you little demon child of mine, where’s the toy store?”  
    Sari grinned grabbing his arm and dragging him with her. “This way!”  
    Optimus stumbled behind her, feeling her tight grip, they fumbled towards the toy store, they passed a group of moms laughing at the sight, and then an old couple who was smiling at them. He almost fell on his face when Sari ran into the toy store, Optimus groaned rubbing his lower back and waving to the cashier who was enjoying the sight. He watched Sari scramble around the store, looking at the shelves and such before grinning and picking up a black box.  
    He swore she laughed like a super villain as she set it on the counter. “This is it.” She smiled up, blinking her eyes as innocent as possible.  
    Optimus read the box. “Cards Against Humanity?” He used to play this in college, with Elita and. Optimus shoved that thought away, he knew what the game was about, he knelt down to Sari’s level. “I know what you’re doing, does Megatron know?”  
    “He does not.”  
    “Good girl, go grab some fart spray.”  
    She grinned running back and grabbing a bottle. “Dad what are you going to do with it?”  
    He paid and took the bag. “Megatron curses around you a little too much, and let’s just say he likes his hair a bit too much.”

* * *

 

He paused once again checking his conditioner bottle before putting a small drop of it on his hands and running it through his hair. Shooting a small glare out the window at Optimus who was in the backyard with Bulkhead and Lugnut. Somehow that wasn’t enough, he opened the window and stuck his whole top half out the window. “Oh, Optimus.” He called.  
    The love of his life stopped, leaning a table against his leg. “Yeah?”  
    Megatron flipped him off.  
    “Oh, you shouldn’t have.” He grinned and went back to setting up the table.  
    He shut the window and washed his hands again, he joined Strika in the kitchen. He stifled a laugh seeing her the lady who once killed a man with one punch to the skull, dressed in pink and wearing an apron.  
    Strika looked up, glared at him. “Shut it.” She snapped, picking up the dough and throwing it hard against the table.  
    “It’s hard not to.” He grinned grabbing another apron and tying it around himself, before taking out the dough from the fridge.  
    “Hard to imagine that you’re a dad, and married.” She elbowed him hard.  
    “And that you’re a godmother.” He elbowed her back.  
    She snorted. “I’m sure that if anything happened to you or Optimus, everyone would look after Sari.” Strika shook her head.  
    “Primus forbid.” Part of him missed his old life, it wasn’t the money or the drugs, it was the thrill, some nights he would get shot at, others he was hiding from the police. But his days of reckless ‘fun’ were catching up to him, the old bullet scars were sore, his knee hurt and he wouldn’t be able to beat Strika in a fight. Megatron pushed those thoughts away, working with the dough. “Soundwave?”  
    “He’s out with the twins, they’re picking up some stuff.” She smiled. “Remember when we’d spend hours making pies, cookies, cakes, all for a bake sale?”  
    He laughed. “We’d be buzzed and bake all night, Lugnut had to carry you to bed and help me finish cooking them.”  
    Strika rolled her eyes. “You fell asleep in a chair and snored.”  
    Optimus popped in, grabbing a glass of water and a cookie. “Thanks, Strika,” He smiled and planted a small kiss on Megatron’s neck. “Think everything is going to be ready tomorrow?”  
    “Of course.” Strika smiled back, she always liked Optimus, the second she met Optimus at a cookout she pulled Megatron aside and begged him to treat Optimus nice. Not only that but everyone took a liking to Optimus, Starscream took awhile but soon warmed up to him (Skyfire might’ve helped). “Who's cooking?” She grinned.  
    “I am.” Optimus and Megatron said at once, only for the married couple turned to one another.  
    She knew that they would fight over this, Strika would’ve made great general somehow turning half of an army against the other half. “So who is it?”  
    Megatron threw down his dough, wiping off his hands. “Alright,” He curled his hands into fists. “Put em up.”  
    Optimus grinned. “I know you’re ticklish.” He raised his own hands up, not into fists.  
    “Yeah, but I know you’re not that good once you're embarrassed.” He grinned.  
    “What can you say tha-”  
    “Sair headbutted you once in the balls.”  
    Strika, Lugnut, and Bulkhead all burst into laughter as Optimus’ face turned bright red. Megatron fought back his own deep laugh and ran up to Optimus, wrapping the smaller man into a bear hug. Optimus groaned and hid his face. “Fine a tie, I’ll tackle the grill and smoker you tackle everything else.”  
    “Thank you, sweetness.” He purred kissing Optimus’ fluffy hair.

* * *

 

“Daddy?”

    Optimus blinked open an eye, spotting Sari holding her dragon stuffed animal. “What is it?”

    “Nightmare.” She frowned her hair up in red pigtails.

    He sighed, lifting up the blankets, Megatron groaned and opened his eyes, spotting Sari crawling over Optimus and laying down. Optimus rolled her, planting a kiss on her head then kissing Megatron. “What was the nightmare?”

    Sari frowned holding her dragon close. “I keep hearing creaking and I think there’s a scary monster outside.”

    “There’s no scary monster outside.” Megatron huffed.

    Optimus agreed with him, it was strange that Sari was having nightmares so badly that she was sleeping with them. She was always independent, a bit of a trouble maker and almost no scary movie could scare her. So now, almost 10 she was scared? “We’ll talk about it later, it’s 2 in the morning.” He yawned.

* * *

 

He stood back as the yard was filled with Sari’s classmates, their parents and family friends all chat and play. Sari was currently kicking ass and taking names in a water gun fight with Rumble and Frenzy (her two right-hand men). He just set down the 3rd pie as parents flocked to it, one of them unbuttoned his shirt taking another slice. “Sweetness are we a small country?” He asked taking the plate as Optimus filled it with hot dogs and hamburgers.  
    Optimus laughed, planting a small kiss on his cheek. “Yes, have you seen our shopping bill around the holidays? We use our 8-6 ft dining table to hold every cookie we bake and any extra goes to the homeless.”  
    He set the plate down and backed away, stumbling back into Cosmos. “Oh sorry!” He grabbed the smaller man’s arm and stepped aside.  
    “You’re fine.” Cosmos smiled, holding a red cup, the astrologist was so strange but kind, he wasn’t much of a talker but would snap if he had to, even Shockwave stayed out of his way. Cosmos was small, he had a bit of a belly, bright red hair and freckles, thick glasses and chubby cheeks. Soundwave was utterly hopeless around Cosmos. “Enjoying the party?”  
    He nodded sitting on the steppes next to Cosmos. “You?”  
    “Oh yeah, I’m tied between savory and sweet, you two know how to cook.” Cosmos jerked. “Frenzy come here.” He yelled the twin stumbled up his water pistol drooping. Cosmos took the pistol. “You’re almost out.” He dunked the pistol into the cold water bucket and let it fill up. “You’ve got to get closer to them, try to ambush them.” He winked handing the pistol back to the twin.  
    “Thanks!” Frenzy grinned turning and running back into the water pistol battle.  
    Megatron elbowed Cosmos. “So what, you’re already their dad?”  
    Cosmos blushed. “They just respect me.” He crossed his arms.  
    “Well, how is Ravage around you?” That old cat only liked a few people, mainly the whole gang, he took a liking to Prowl, Bulkhead, Optimus and Sari, but not Bumblebee, Starscream or Blitzwing. Soundwave trusted that cat with his life.  
    “He’ll curl up on me and get between my legs.” Cosmos shrugged.  
    “Ah, so now you’re part of the family, gotta change your name.” He teased.  
    Cosmos sunk into his shirt. “W-well-”  
    “Megatron stop it, Soundwave likes you a lot.” Optimus closed the grill and sat next to them. “He’s just trying to make you join our crazy backyard cult.”  
    “It’s not a cult.” Megatron corrected.  
    “It’s a cult,” Optimus stated.  
    Cosmos laughed. “It’s a nice cult, so do I sell my soul or?”  
    “Soul?” Soundwave sneaked up and hugged Cosmos from behind. “It’s mine.” He nuzzled his face into Cosmos’ neck.  
    “Oh what a good trade, sold my soul to join a cult and now I’m a dad with twins.”  
    They laughed, Cosmos was perfect for Soundwave, he hadn’t seen his friend so happy in years. Optimus and he split a beer while watching the party from afar.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A large portion of fanfics: Megatron is evil!  
> Me: A baby!


	3. The Note

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More fluff, Megatron's mom and dad, Sari gets the best lines, Optimus has an attack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me looking at Thunderclash with opera glasses: There he is, there's that good boy! THAT'S A GOOD FUCKING BOY! GET THAT BOY A HUSBAND! BOI!!!!!

“How was your day?” He rumbled kneeling down and heaving Sari up, his daughter climbed up and sat on his shoulder, wrapping her arm around his head.  
    “It was good, the sub is boring! I slept for an hour.” She grinned.  
    “Sari.” He grumbled, _she’s like a carbon copy of me._ He sent a glare up to her. “You’re the devil.”  
    She laughed sticking out her tongue. “What’s the plan today Pap?”  
    He rumbled, never hummed (his voice was too deep so humming sounded like some teenager who has their bass all the way up in traffic). Optimus went in last night, so they couldn’t bug him too much, it was a school night so they couldn’t stay out late. “Hmmm, I’m not sure.”  
    Sari hummed too, weaving her fingers into his hair. “How about we cook? I mean you’re Italian and you never shut up about grandma and her cooking, teach me the ways you salami loving man.”  
    He laughed _a carbon copy_. They headed towards one of those corner grocery stores, passing through the buzzing crowd. Sari clung to him, kicking her tiny feet whenever she could, she would joke and point at people, telling Megatron about her day and her friends. He couldn’t help but smile, a few years back this stupid display would’ve been impossible.   
    He stepped in, nodding to the clerk and setting Sari down. “Alright, I need some noodles, those short ones.”  
    “Okay.” She smiled running down the aisles looking for the box of noodles.  
    Megatron walked down another aisle heading towards the refrigerators and grabbing a can of tea. The door closed and he was met with his reflection, he took a few moments to look at his features. _Black and silver hair, a goatee, cheekbones that could cut through glass, light brown eyes._   
      
    He stared at himself in the mirror. _Black hair, tiny goatee, bloody lip, and a black eye._ He grinned as blood drooled out of his mouth and a tooth wiggled. “Bastard.” He said to no one else, rolling his shoulders as he stood up.  
      
    “Pap, theses?” Sari held up the box.  
    He smiled taking the noodles. “Perfect, and we’ll need…” He looked through the fridges grabbing a bottle of tomato juice. “Aright and we have chicken and onions at home.” Megatron bought the items, carrying them in one hand and taking Sari’s in the other.  
    “What were grandpa and grandma like?” She asked as they stopped at the crosswalk.  
    “Ah, well I’ve met my father in law and my mother in law, they-”  
    “No, I mean your’s, I’ve met Dad’s parents.” She frowned.  
    “Oh,” The light changed and they walked forward. _Mom was only there for a while when I was 10 she died from smoking and dad...dad is dad._ He forced a smile. “Grandma died when I was young, a little younger than you. She was a great cook and wrote every recipe down, and on my 18th birthday my dad gave me the key to the lock box in the bank where she hid them.” He laughed, he thought he was going to get some secret money but instead got a bunch of handwritten recipes. “But she was a sweet lady, we lived in the city and on long nights she would sit outside on the fire escape and smoke. I would join her and we’d talk sometimes other times we wouldn’t and rarely when it snowed we’d throw snowballs at cars and people.”  
    “Didn’t you get cold?”  
    “I did, afterward she’d make hot cocoa.” They stopped again, Megatron took awhile, trying to tell Sari about grandpa. “Grandpa wasn’t as...kind, but he would surprise me. He’s a hard man, he’s only 50 now and somehow lived through a stroke and keeps working. That man scares me sometimes. When mom passed he...he wasn’t as chatty, he would rarely talk but he would whistle, whistle for hours.”  
    “Oh,” She blinked. “Would they...like me?”  
    “Sari if my mom was alive and knew that she had a grandchild you’d be attached to the hip, we’ve had to get a restraining order to keep her from snatching you up after school. And dad? He’s a man who lets his actions speak louder than words, but his actions are loud, he’d spoil you, well spoil you more.”  
      
    “YOU DID WHAT?!”   
    Megatron hissed holding up the phone rubbing his ear, his dad was miles away but he could almost feel a pure tension that man could give him. Terminus was harsh, that man would somehow pick him up, that’s 200 pounds, and throw him if he wanted to. But Terminus wasn’t a bad dad, he was an a...tough dad. Megatron slowly brought the phone to his ear again. “I uh...well you’ll be a grandpa-”  
    “A GRANDPA?! YOU’RE HARDLY AN ADULT!”  
    His ear was ringing.  
  
    Megatron laughed pushing away the ‘lovely’ discussion he had with his dad that night. Terminus’ reaction to that news, was why Optimus never met him, or Sari had no idea she had a grandpa.  
    “Why don’t we visit him?” Sari asked her tiny hand squeezing his.  
    Megatron frowned, _there’d be a fight if I showed up on his doorstep, he’d at least give me a bloody nose, scaring both Optimus and Sari and then…_ “He’s...we don’t get along at all, and well I don’t think he’d approve of some of my choices.” He sighed rubbing his head. He’d also ask about Sari, and what happened to be a ‘grandpa’, there’s also Optimus and Terminus would ask about my friends and ...It's a whole mess that I’d rather avoid. I miss mom, she would’ve talked some sense into him.  
    “Choices?” She mirrored his frown, Sari was a smart child, but there were some things she didn’t understand. She was smart enough to know that her mom died and her uncle died, but she wondered why all of her friends had only one mom and one dad.  
    “I wish Optimus was here, he’s better at these.” He scratched the back of his neck. “Well most kids have a mom and a dad, or some have single moms and dads or step-parents.”  
    She nodded. “Yeah, so?”  
    “You have two dads, that are married and...attracted to one another...so you’ve got two dads that are gay.”  
    Sari stopped, looking up at him, giving him a ‘bullshit’ stare (just like grandma). “Why didn’t you tell me you were gay?”  
    Now he stopped, frowning at his child seeing her once again grin like the shit eating devil she was. “WOW SHERLOCK YOU SHOULD’VE PICKED THIS UP WEEK ONE WHEN YOU MOVED IN WITH US?!”  
    She simply nodded. “Well, I always expected Optimus, but not you.”  
    “I didn’t bring you into this world but a child of mine I’m going to take you out!”  
    “You love me too much.” She stuck out her tongue.   
    He groaned, she was right, hopefully, Optimus didn’t ever pick up on how much alike they were. “Well, I’m not sure grandpa would be so… pleased with that.”  
    “Oh,”   
    They finally were on their street, whenever Megatron had a day off of his restaurants he would rarely drive, besides Sari’s school wasn’t too far away. It was a quiet neighborhood, there was always fireworks, snowmen and Jehovah Witness, an average neighborhood. However, a moving truck was in the driveway next to their house, a new neighbor?  
    “Oh, he’s cute,” Sari said pointing to the house.  
    A man as tall as Megatron but didn’t have the barrel chest, he had a small beard, a rounder face with a strong chin, button nose. He wore a cap, a loose jacked and had dog tags around his neck. The man stopped and waved at them. “Hi!”  
    Sari waved back. “Hi!”  
    Megatron leaned against the fence. “So you’re staying for a while or?”  
    The man stepped into the truck. “Hopefully awhile, a long while.” He smiled, a few scars were on his face, mostly over his lips, like tiny knives cut him. “Oh, I’m Thunderclash.” He pulled down a few more boxes using a dolly, leaving the dolly and offering his hand.  
    “Megatron, this is Sari, and my husband (he’s not home yet) is Optimus.” He took Thunderclash’s hand, surprised at his grip. “You’ve got an accent?”  
    “Oh yeah, generally it takes people a while to pick it up but I’m from Colorado.” He shrugged and looked over the fence to Sari waving at her.   
    “Colorado?”  
    “Yeah, moved here, did my time.” He lifted up the dog tags. “And now I’m just settling down. You’ve got an accent too…”  
    “Brooklin, and Italian parents.”   
    “Yeah,” Sari popped up, holding onto the fence. “He’s an FBI.”  
    Thunderclash stared at him, confused.  
    “Full Blooded Italian.”  
    “Oh, alright. Quick question before I let you go, where’s a good pet store? Not a company owned one I need some special bedding and they never have it.”  
    “Try 6th and Wall ST, there’s one called ‘Little Paws’.” Sari smiled up. “It’s not big, but it’s got a lot.”  
    Megatron ruffled her hair, destroying her pigtails. “Let us know if that store works for you.”   
    “Thank you, you two have a good night.” He smiled grabbing the dolly and walking into the garage.  
    Megatron pulled out the keys and opened up the door only to stop at a red envelope sticking out. He yanked it out his stomach was twisting, and he felt a cold sweat roll down his back.  
    “Hey, pap!”  
    He shoved the envelope into his pocket. “Yeah?” Unlocking the door and stepping in.  
    “Maybe we should have Thunderclash over for dinner, I didn’t see a ring on his finger so he might be all alone in that house, and that’s a big house.” Sari ran into the living room, looking out the window. “He looks kinda sad.”  
    “If we make enough we’ll bring some over, okay?”

* * *

 

“So what are you thinking, Chinese?” Drift asked, shifting the car into 5th as they sped down the highway.  
    “No, no, we’ve had that too often.” Ratchet grumbled in his seat turning down the radio.  
    “Um...there’s a Pot Belly by my place,” Optimus spoke up.  
    “Oh shit!” Drift jumped in his seat. “I forgot you were back there.” He laughed, flicking on his blinker and crossing. “Missed your exit.” He turned up the radio.  
    Ratchet rolled his eyes. “Pull over I’ll drive.” He turned down the radio.  
    “What? No honey, you drive all day at work, I’m driving.” Drift turned up the radio.  
    “Well, you’re driving like a scatterbrain.” Ratchet turned down the radio.  
    “And you drive like an old man, like this.” Drift hovered over the wheel and pushed his face against the windshield, then turned up the radio.  
    “I do not.” Ratchet huffed turning down the radio.  
    “Um, I can drive,” Optimus spoke up again.  
    “SON OF A BITCH I MISSED THE OTHER EXIT!” Drift yelled pulling to the left and turning up the radio. “Optimus you’re driving!”  
      
    He stomped in, feeling his soaked clothes, kicking the front door closed, he got home an hour late. Lucky whatever Megatron made smelled great and that the fire was still going. He tore off his boots, then his jeans and his coat and shirt, tossing them in the washer. If Sari walked down now he’d have to hide.  
    “So I get a sexy firefighter stripper? Let me get my quarters, I like making it hail.” Megatron joked looking in.  
    “Ha, ha.” Optimus snapped flopping into a chair and grabbing his still warm plate and digging into whatever dinner was.  
    “I’ll grab your robe.” He said going up the stairs.  
    Optimus shoveled his dinner in getting up for second before grabbing a glass of water. Megatron came in tossing him his robe, he wrapped himself up and turned out the kitchen light. “Sorry I was late, Drift and Ratchet got into another petty fight and missed my exit, twice.” He hunched over the fire and started to smother it.  
    “That’s okay, we got a new neighbor.” Megatron started to go up the stairs.  
Optimus followed. “Oh?”  
“Yeah, Thunderclash.” He pointed towards the house. “Nice guy, not married (Sari noticed it not me), she thinks he’s lonely and she brought him some of our dinner.”  
“Oh, how nice.” He smiled getting to the top of the stairs, peeking into Sari’s room, she was fast asleep. “Think she’ll stay there?”  
Megatron shrugged. “I don’t know, she’s been quiet for a week.”  
Optimus shut the door and continued towards their bedroom. “It’s so weird, she’s never done this before...Think it might be because of losing her uncle, that time of the year?”  
He shook his head. “No, no, she would’ve been doing that years ago.” Megatron sat on his side of the bed. Taking off his clothes, letting them fall to the ground but in a nice pile.  
“Good point.” Optimus jumped onto the bed rolling onto his side and poking Megatron’s bareback. Running his fingers over the billions of scars and some old tattoos, he always wondered how Megatron got them but didn’t want to ask seeing a few tiny circles burn scars. All he knew about his father in law was that Megatron and Terminus didn’t see eye to eye.  
“How was your day?” Megatron kicked off his shoes and his socks.  
“Okay, just cleaning around the station, there was a call but it was medical.” He shrugged.  
“Huh?” Megatron paused fishing out a red envelope.  
Optimus instantly noticed how his whole body turned to stone, how he started to sweat, his irises shrank and that he started to chew his lip. There were a few times Megatron got like this, it wasn’t fear but it was something much worse. “What’s wrong?”  
Megatron didn’t answer opening up the envelope hiding away from Optimus.  
Optimus huffed yanking the paper out of his hands and reading it.   
    _Hello,_  
 _We know who you are,_  
 _We’re setting a fire,_  
 _To smoke you out,_  
 _Until you pay._  
    He couldn’t breathe, cold sweat rolled down his back.  
    “Optimus?” He could hear him, it faded away as this loud buzzing rang in the back of his skull.  
    Massive arms wrapped around him and pulled him close, he curled up in them trying to breathe. _Fire! Fire! Elite! Sentinel! Fire! Can’t escape! Can’t save Elita!_ He was thrown back into that warehouse, running after Sentinel, the catwalk broke and...and...  
    “Shhh, shhh.” Something pressed against his head. “It’s not for you, it’s a stupid badly written poem.” He was laid flat on the bed, something was holding him.  
    The buzzing got louder and louder. It felt like the smoke was strangling him, that there was no oxygen in the air and all he could do was breathe fire. Elita screamed as he lost his grip, and he watched her fall and her skull slam into that box, her lifeless body laid there, her neck at an awkward angle. “Elita.” He gasped through the knot in his throat, reaching out to her.  
    “Optimus.”  
    The darkness crept upon him, engulfing the edges of the room as it set upon him. The feeling in his hands and soon his arms began to fade as if they were never there before. His mind once blank was now displaying the images of a body, slumped over still. The walls of the room were now a cinema for his mind tricks. Fear slithered farther, deeper into his very core, leaving him but a sobbing, screaming mess. He longed to feel the safety of Megatron but alas his fingers couldn't grip a thing, or so he thought. Megatron desperately tried to keep hold of him, repeatedly wrapping his arms around him as fast as they were knocked off. He didn't mean to push him away, but the images were so strong. Why couldn't the pictures in his mind just go away?  
    “I don’t want Sari to see me like that.”  
      
    “Dad?”   
He blinked open an eye, feeling Megatron’s arms wrapped around him the familiar warmth and comfort relaxed him. Megatron was always a cuddler but after his attacks, his husband wouldn’t leave his side. Optimus always feared the day when Megatron wasn’t there. “Mmm.” He lifted up the blankets, watching her crawl in.  
Megatron rumbled behind him, his grip tightening around Optimus’ waist. “Sari?”  
“Mhm,” Optimus answered him, too exhausted to say much more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up the rest of this fic is going to have some gruesome things going on, I'll try to give you guys a warning but if I forget I'm so sorry.


	4. Suspicion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay let's see here, we have tension, fluff, fluff, fluff, fluff, drama.   
> I babysat two little girls recently and I'm basing Sari's actions a little off of them and my own childhood. I'm not telling you what the 'water jet incident was, just know that they can't go to the pool anymore.

   For once he was home first, generally, he would’ve been glad at the thought but another red envelope stuck out of the front door. Optimus had to pry his hand off the door handle, closing his fingers a few times to make sure it wouldn’t cramp. He let his duffle bag drop to the floor and locked the door behind him. A numbness settled over him as he ripped open the red envelope. “No,” He clamped the red paper shut, feeling the cold sweat roll down his back. “Wait for Megatron.” Optimus shoved the envelope into his shirt pocket, taking a deep breath before stepping into the kitchen. Fixing himself a drink (he made sure the bottle was out of Sari’s sight and reach). He kicked off his shoes and took off his belt. “Dinner...I’m thinking delivery.” 

   Optimus sat down on the sofa, rolling his feet. He whistled trying to pick up the remote with his feet. Somehow he got the remove without sitting up and flicked the tv on. He only watched 15 minutes of the news (like a responsible adult) before picking some old movie to watch. 

   Megatron and Sari got home about an hour later, Optimus only waved at them as he was sucked into the movie. Loving the tension between every character as they fought over a box, he wondered what was in the box as the main character burnt himself by opening it.

   “He’s at it again,” Sari said, diving onto the sofa, it was the weekend so no homework for her.

   “What’s this?” Megatron asked getting himself a cup of coffee and sitting next to Optimus.

   “Kiss Me Deadly, it’s a noir movie, everyone is trying to get the box, and I think the box has radioactive something in it so it burns whoever opens it,” Optimus said, finishing his drink. Moments later the double-crossing lady opened the box and burst into flames, then the house they were in was engulfed in flames. And the fateful ‘The End’ popped up, Optimus sighed, grabbing his phone. “What’d you think?”

   “Not bad from what I saw.” Megatron shrugged.

   “I like the metaphors that doctor kept saying,” Sari added. “What’s for dinner, I hunger!”

   Optimus snorted. “I’m thinking of delivery?” 

   “Pizza?” Megatron asked.

   “No, we’re already too Italian in this house, I’m sure you do shots of that dressing,” She pointed to Megatron. “How about Chineses?” 

“That works for me.” Optimus pulled up a few restaurants that deliver and handed the phone to Megatron, he wanted the spicy shrimp dish, while Sari wanted the beef lo mein. Optimus placed the order and gave their address. He left to get himself another drink, before sitting back down. “Are we doing a lazy Friday movie night?”

   “A lazy horror movie night.” Sari corrected.

   “I hate you two so much.” Optimus glared at them seeing both of them smirk, he swore that Sari was a carbon copy of Megatron sometimes. He was going to be up all night freaking out over horror movies. They were halfway into a horror movie with demons when the doorbell rang, Optimus jumped out of the sofa, scrambling to his feet and rushing towards the door. He paid the man and took the food giving the guy a tip. He gave Megatron and Sari their dishes and pulled up a blanket as he forced himself to eat as someone was disemboweled on tv. 

   It was the third movie where Sari fell asleep, Megatron didn’t even flinch at the brutal actions of a maniac with a machete, meanwhile, Optimus was curled up and hiding under the blankets. It ended when Megatron yawned and turned off the tv, looking over at Optimus. “Are you going to get some sleep tonight, Optimus?”

   He nodded. “Sorry, I just can’t handle all of the...violins, you know they pull that just for a cheap jumpscare.” 

   Megatron smiled about to say something but stopped. “What’s that in your shirt?”

   Optimus grabbed at his pocket, balancing as his fingers skimmed the red envelope. “It’s… another one.” He held it out.

   Megatron took it but didn’t dare to open it, instead he shoved it into his pocket and picked up Sari. Optimus watched as his husband carry their daughter upstairs, his heart sinking as he recalled the last note. He rose to his feet, locking the doors, windows before turning all the lights off but one. He passed Sari’s room the door wide open as Megatron tucked Sari in, his husband creeped out of the room and took Optimus’ hand. They walked towards their bedroom, leaving the door open. 

   Megatron went into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Optimus frowned, something was off, he pried off his unholy jeans and changed into some baggy shorts. Knocking on the bathroom door. “Megs? Gotta brush my teeth.”

   The door opened and Megatron mumbled an apology flopping in their bed. Optimus joined him shortly, looking out the doorway. “Think she’ll stay asleep?”

   “Hopefully,” Megatron mumbled into the pillow, throwing an arm around Optimus and pulling him close. “Goodnight.”

   Something was wrong.

 

   Megatron left 13 minutes ago, Sari wasn’t awake yet and they had shopping to do later on. Optimus slipped out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, doing his morning routine, but that all came to a sudden halt. He spotted a red paper sticking out of the trash, slowly he picked out all the paper pieces and laid them out. The note from last night, Megatron must’ve ripped it up.

He had at least 30 minutes until Sari woke up and 15 if he wanted to make her breakfast.

Optimus turned on the light on his nightstand and started on the ‘jigsaw puzzle’, piece by piece he placed all of the scraps into place. He only had 5 minutes until Sari woke up, but he finally got what the note said.

**CAST IRON!**

He seethed throwing the scraps away and stomping out of his room.

Optimus didn’t have breakfast that morning he only had black coffee and watched the morning fog disappear. Sari avalanched down the stairs like an unholy animal from hell, her bare feet slapped against the tile floor. Optimus paused looking down as his hellspawn, Sari’s hair was nothing but knots, her eyes baggy and irritated, she wore a frown that dragged on the floor. “Morning Sweetie.”

“Feed me.” She yanked a chair out and flopped in it.

He set the pile of pancakes down and handed her the syrup, butter, and strawberries. “Drink?”

“OJ’s blood.” She grumbled squeezing the syrup bottle so hard it wheezed.

He set out the orange juice and sat across the table, sipping his coffee. It was just the two of them the whole day until 6 when Megatron left his restaurant. So they had a whole day to kill. “Any ideas?”

“Hmm.” She jammed a whole pancake into her mouth. “Mmm,” she said hardly chewing and swallowing it. “Pool?”

“Can’t, we’re banned from the pool.”

Sari frowned. “Was it the ‘water jet incident?” 

“No it was the constant run- YES it was the ‘water jet incident.” He signed, his mood brightening a bit when he explained the ‘water jet incident’ to Megatron the poor man couldn’t catch his breath because he was laughing too hard.

“Hiking?”

He pulled out his phone checking the weather. “Showers at 2, and it’ll be in the ’90s all day.”

She slammed her hand down on the table going “Mmm!” as an idea popped up in her head, Sari swallowed another pancake and chugged her orange juice. “Let’s hunt down Grampa Terminus!”

His stomach twisted in a knot. “No, we can’t, I…”

“I’ve never met him, you’ve never met him, hell-”

“Language.”

“Gosh diddly darn dang it, I’m sure Pa never told him about you, or me. I hear Grandpa call now and then and Pa only talks to him for a few minutes.” She frowned. “Are you scared of him?”

Optimus sipped his coffee. “That’s something I want Megatron to be there for, I’m pretty sure we can’t just hunt him down and knock on his door saying we’re his extended family.”

Sari huffed but agreed, eating another pancake. “Visit Grampa Pax?”

“Hmmm, it’s a long drive, and we’ll have to give dad a call, but I think some fresh air would be nice.” He thought for a minute finishing his cup of coffee. “Alright I’ll give him a call, maybe we can all go frog hunting in the marshes?”

“I’m gonna catch the biggest throg!” Sari finished her orange juice and slammed the glass down, running upstairs.

“Throg?” Optimus called dad, asking if they could swing by, smiling as his dad was practically begging to see them. 

Sari stormed down, dressed, a bag packed and a hairbrush hanging from her strawberry head. Optimus sighed and yanked the brush out as Sari hissed. “Ow!”

“Maybe if someone stopped sleeping like a rabid animal this wouldn’t happen.” He tried his hardest to be gentle but every single strand was tangled, soon her hair was brushed. He put her hair up in two high pigtails and clips. “Go grab your hat and sunscreen.”

Optimus grabbed the keys to the truck and grabbed his old farming boots, his hat and sunglasses. Sari grinned jumping into what she called ‘The Beast’, for some reason, she liked the truck, maybe because she liked being tall? Optimus rolled his eyes, popping up the hood and checking the oil and everything else.  _Maybe if someone learned how to drive stick The Beast wouldn’t need his fluids checked all the time. Everything looks good, and he’s got half a tank, we’ll be good._ He slammed the hood down and jumped into the cab. “Alright DJ what you got?” He handed Sari his phone.

“Hmmm, oh, perfect.”

Optimus recognized the first few beats of ‘Lose Yourself’, humming along with it as he backed out. 

**Look**

**If you had**

**Mom’s spaghetti**

   “Sari!”

 

   He pulled up to find dad already on the porch holding up a glass of lemonade and chewing on a stock of grass. “Howdy!” Dad yelled as Sari almost jumped out of The Beast and barreled towards him.

   Optimus parked The Beast, grabbing Sari’s bag and his hat. “Hi, dad!” He waved.

   Orion stood up, picking up Sari and hugging her. “Go inside and fix yourself a glass Honey-pot.” Sari hugged him back before stepping into the small country home. “Come here, Small Fry!” Dad yanked Optimus into a hug, calling him his childhood nickname. “Where’s Meatballs?”

   “Work, Sari and I have the day to ourselves.” Optimus wheezed out, somehow his dad was still as strong as ever, he was pretty sure that his dad could pick up Megatron. Then again the first time they met dad and Megatron tried to break each other's hands from the tight handshake. Optimus pulled up a chair. “Sari, could you fix me a glass too?”

   “Yes, master!” She said impersonating Igor.

   Dad laughed. “She’s a little spitfire.”

   Sari came out with two big glasses handing one to Optimus and then sitting down and slurping her lemonade.

   “Don’t get too comfortable, we got some toad hunting to do,” Dad said. “Then I’ll fix you two some lunch.” 

   “You don’t have to dad.”

   “Grampa Pax, he doesn’t speak for me.” Sair but in.

   Dad laughed and snapped his fingers. “Optimus mind checking on Big Boy for me? Ever since I retired I haven’t used him much but there’s no way in hell I’m getting rid of him.”

   “‘Big Boy’?” Sari perked up.

   “I’ll check him, let’s hope his gas isn’t sour.” Optimus finished his lemonade and got to his feet, going inside and grabbing the keys.  _Sari thinks The Beast is big I’m going to hear it all the way home that I didn’t take Big Boy home._ “If he’s good we’ll drive him around a little.” 

   “‘Big Boy’?” Sari repeated.

   “Sari stay here with dad.” He said walking towards the hay barn, he whistled as he stepped in, eyeing the fresh piles of hay, dad had to sell them soon. Optimus climbed over a mountain of hay spotting a huge tarp in front of the twin doors. He stumped down and yanked the tarp off, wolf-whistling at the old red and blue flat-nosed semi. When dad met mom he met her on the road, his truck died and she was a truck driver and a self-taught mechanic. Dad blew his engine and she drove him home, the next day she towed his car home. Then it fell together, Big Boy was her truck and dad didn’t have the heart to sell it. Then again neither would Optimus.

   He popped open the hood, checking everything, glad that no rabbits chewed anything or made nests.  _Okay, the gas doesn’t smell like paint so it’s now sour, the battery might need a charge, oil is good, let’s see._ He climbed into the cab and dusted off the seat, checking if the stick was stuck and he shrugged twisting the key. Big Boy fried right up. “Oh good,” He patted the dashboard. “He’s still running mom.”

   The door opened and dad smiled up at him while Sari was jumping up and down. “WE HAVE A SEMI TRUCK AND NO ONE TOLD ME?!”

 

   “Please?” Sari looked up at Grandpa Pax eyes wide as Big Boy rumbled on.

   “You’re too short to reach the pedals and it’s a stick.” Optimus pulled her back.

   “So?” Dad grabbed Sari by the collar picking her up as if she was a puppy and sat her down on his lap. “She can take the wheel, just no sharp turns, I’m keeping him in the lower gears.”

   “HAHAHAHA! HAVE AT ME FOUL WEAKLINGS!” Sari yelled taking the wheel as they drove across the endless fields towards the marshes.

   “Maybe we should strap her to the roof on our way back?” Dad suggested.

   “No,” Optimus met his dad’s cocky grin.

   “We did it with you when you were firstborn.”

   “No, that only happened once when I first got my drivers permit and I was driving Big Boy, and I got that speeding ticket so mom threw me on the roof and told me to hang up and went as fast as I did.”

   “GRANDMA DID WHAT?!”

   “I loved her so much.” Dad sighed.

   “Sari, pull up there,” Optimus said holding onto the three empty pickle jars.

   “Dad I know what I want for my first car.”

 

   They got home shortly after Megatron, Sari fell asleep in the truck, she had way too much fun steering Big Boy. Megatron carried her out of The Beast and woke her up, Optimus grabbed everything out of his truck and followed. “How was your day?” He asked setting Sari’s bag by the stairs.

   “Alright, lunch rush was hell, and I’m going to have to let go of a bartender, she’s drinking on the job.” He set Sari down who yawned and made a beeline for the bathroom. “How was dad’s?”

   “Good, he’s doing alright, had to put Cliffjumper down, old dog, he’s also got a whole crop of hay to sell, we helped him load it up on Big Boy.”

   “‘Big Boy’?” Megatron paused undoing his first shirt and setting it on the stair railing.

   “He’s a semi-truck, mom’s, Sari drove him around.”

   “Your dad has a semi-truck?”

   “Yeah, Sari wants him as her first car.”

   Megatron blanched at that. “If it doesn’t have airbags that’s a no.”

   “Oh no, he’s part of the family, she’ll get him eventually, but she did like me drifting him.”

   “You can drift a semi?” Megatron stopped again.

   Optimus shrugged.

   “Dammit, I love you so much!”

 

   Optimus closed the car door with his butt, only to blush as Sari shouted ‘fanny push’ and body-slammed her butt into the car door on the other side. If a demon ever posed Sari he was sure he wouldn’t be able to tell, the child was weird enough as it is. Damn child talking about ‘slapping music’. “Sari you’ll dent the car.”

   “It’s pointless Optimus.” Megatron locked the car carrying a box under his arm.

   “Oh, hi Megatron, Sair and…” A bearded face popped up over the fence.

   “Optimus.” He waved. “I’d shake your hand but.” The five bags on each arm prevented him from even walking over.

   “Optimus, nice to meet you, and don’t worry about that, I’m Thunderclash.” He smiled, fixing his cap.

   “Nice to meet you too.” He smiled as Sari took over the conversation asking Thunderclash questions about his life. Optimus followed Megatron to the door, heaving all the bags up.

   “You don’t need to do that,” Megatron said, pulling out the keys.

   “I threw hay bails every summer, I can handle...Grey Poupon and your ridiculous hair gel supplies.” Optimus stuck out his tongue. “Now open the damn door, I swear if the waffles defrost it’s your head.”

   Megatron snorted, he stopped for a split second yanking something out of the door, and hiding it away. Another note. He opened the door and helped Optimus with the groceries. 

   Instantly the whole day was forgotten and Optimus could only think about the torn-up note. He set the bags down on the table as Megatron went upstairs, Optimus only put away a few items listening to the boards creak above him. He finally stopped when Megatron did, holding the fridge open and trying to calm his racing heart.

   Then Megatron moved and he breathed, hearing the faint slam of their sink cupboard and Megatron tight movements.

_He’s not telling me something._

* * *

 

He kept his eyes closed as Optimus sat up, Megatron ground his teeth as his husband left the bed and walked into their bathroom. He hoped he would hear the sink or the toilet but he only heard the faint creak of the cupboard and the faint ruffling of the trash.  _It’s coming back, old man._ He listened to Optimus, his heart sinking and his stomach curling up.  _You should’ve told him, but no, you had to keep it quiet so you could be happy, putting Sari and Optimus in danger!_

   Optimus hissed and tossed it all back into the trash, turning off the bathroom night light and rejoining Megatron in their bed. He rolled over to face Megatron resting a hand on Megatron’s shoulder. “What aren’t you telling me?”

* * *

 

“DADDY! PAPPA!” Sari screamed running into their room and diving into Optimus’ lap sobbing.

   “Sari?” Optimus sat up hugging her, she was shaking like a leaf.

   “Someone was in my window!” She yelled into his shirt.

   Instantly Megatron jumped out of the bed, grabbing a shotgun Optimus had never seen before and ran out of the room. “Bathroom now!”

   Optimus carried Sari into their bathroom locking the door and yanking down the shower curtain pole. He held Sari in one arm and had a tight grip on the pole, Sari clung to him as he barred the door with their hamper. “Shh, shh.” He kissed the top of Sari’s head, pulling her close. “It’s okay, we’re okay.”

   Sari let out a long whine. “D-D-Daddy he was right there t-t-tapping my window.”

   “Who was?” These nightmares were starting to get out of control.

   “That man!” She sobbed. “The o-o-one outside the s-s-school, outside Pappa’s r-restaurant, the scary man!”

   Optimus felt his reality crumble, his vines turned to ice and he felt dinner rise in his throat, this wasn’t a bad dream. “Sweetie, what do you mean?”

   “The scary man! The o-one with the b-big l-l-lips!” Her tiny nails dug into his skin, his shirt was wet from her crying and she was hyperventilating. 

   “Sari.” He dropped the pole and sat them down, he brushed aside Sari’s bangs and watched his daughter slip into a panic attack. Optimus hugged her, patting her back and letting her kick and squirm as much as she wanted. Sari sobbed into his neck sputtering out incoherent words.  _Is this what I’m like when I have an attack?_ He kept kissing her head and holding her, mumbling soft words.  _Sari I had no idea, I thought it was a nightmare, too many scary movies or someone at school was picking on you._

   He jumped as there was a knock at the door. “Optimus, Sari?” Megatron called from the other side.

   Optimus held Sari and unlocked the door, kicking away their dirty clothes. Megatron stepped in his eyes landing on Sari who was still gasping for air. “She’s having a panic attack.”

   They sat back on the floor, Megatron pulled them both into a bear hug and rubbed Sari’s back. Slowly but surely Sari started to relax, crying as she crawled into their laps.

   “Is he gone, Pappa?” Sari asked clinging to Optimus.

   “Yeah, he’s gone.” Megatron kissed her head. “Don’t worry he won’t get you.”

   “Promise?”

   “Promise.” Megatron patted her back as she curled up on Optimus’ lap, they waited until Sari softly snored, she fell asleep 30 minutes later, drooling on Optimus’ shirt. Megatron took a moment and pulled Optimus closer to him. 

   “She said she saw the man before, outside her school and your work.” Optimus stared down at Sari, his own eyes watering. “Megatron this isn’t a nightmare or a phase.”

   Megatron sighed, kissing him. “I know, for now, she’ll sleep in our room.”

   Optimus let out a tiny sob shoving his head into Megatron’s neck. “What aren’t you telling me?”

   Megatron didn’t say anything for a while, maybe he didn’t know what to say, maybe he wasn’t hiding anything. Instead, he tapped Optimus’ shoulder and pulled a drawer out, duct-taped under the drawer was a pistol. “Incase.”


	5. Pups

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay I can't stress this enough, this chapter is going to end on a dark note. That being that it ends with a dead puppy, and the rest of the fic will have hints of this and animal abuse. None of the main cast does this only the villain!   
> I also wanted to let you know that I personally hate animal abuse, in fact I love my dogs very much. I generally don't write this so I'm not going to linger on anything too long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay it's dark.  
> I wrote Sari as a feral child, she will bite you. Megatron and Optimus just let the demon do what she wants half the time.   
> Some background stuff:  
> Strika works at a lawfirm, she runs it.  
> Lugnut works on construction (he likes to blow things up, I've been watching Documentaries on demolition).  
> Starscream is on a airbase and a instructor, he's not the villain here in fact he's pretty happy and with Skyfire.  
> Blitzwing works at a museum but for weapons (think dragonman, and everything works there, so he's happy) He also lives below Bumblebee (a terrible decision really).  
> Bee is a officer, he's pretty happy, but has a bad habit of backing up his toilet and letting it flood.  
> Prowl is a private eye, and teaches yoga, he's not one for the city and might be living in the forest?   
> Bulkhead builds what Lugnut tears down, then builds where Lugnut just tore down. He paints with his freetime and has a few missing fingers.  
> Did I miss anyone?   
> Sentinel is a dick.

Optimus watched as the trees and street signs passed, his head propped up on his hand. The leaves were turning orange and yellow, Halloween was this month, Sari and the twins were picking out matching costumes. Megatron had to find a costume and Optimus was on duty, he’d be handing out candy. Sari sat in the backseat humming whatever was on the radio, Megatron drove (he liked to drive) his arm was on Optimus’ shoulders.   
   They pulled up to Soundwave’s house, Cosmos was in the front raking piles of leaves, Rumble and Frenzy ran.   
   “Alright kiddo,” Optimus said just as Sari climbed over the front seats, dragging her bag along. “You can use the door.”  
   “Parkour,” Sair said, kissing Megatron’s cheek, then Optimus, climbing halfway out of the window.  
Optimus sighed opening up the door and letting Sari fall on her feet. “What do we say?”  
Sari closed the door. “Bye Papa and Daddy, love you!” Her body slammed into Rumble and Frenzy.  
“Bye, sweetie,” Optimus called.  
Megatron waved to Soundwave who was in the kitchen, they pulled out of the driveway. Optimus yawned, he didn’t sleep last night, too worried about what was going on at home, when the guys saw him this morning, they told him to go home early. Megatron pulled Optimus close, kissing him as they rolled to a stop. Megatron pulled away and scratched his face. “Ugh, will you stop stressing and shave already?”  
“It’s not that bad.” He pulled the mirror down and scratched at his beard, who knew he could grow a full beard?  
“It is, Billy Mays.”  
“In two easy steps, I can pull the brake and lodge my foot up your ass.” Optimus mocked.  
Megatron laughed turning onto the highway. “But honestly I’m worried about you Optimus, you look like you’re ready to crash.”  
“Mmm,” Optimus mumbled and rested his head on Megatron’s shoulder, he dozed listening to the mixture of his husband’s whistling and whatever was on the radio. “Just stressed.”  
“Ah,” Megatron rubbed his shoulder. “Well it’s quiet now, Sari won’t leave our bed and I don’t blame her.”  
Optimus frowned, ever since that night his stomach was in a constant knot, he texted Megatron and always kept his phone on hand if the school called. He watched the station and swore there were times where he recognized figures outside, the worst was this tall man always in a big hoodie. Every two days he would appear, wait for 30 minutes (always at different times) and disappear. He didn’t like it. Optimus sighed watching the cars outside of them. “Megatron?”  
“Hmm?”  
“Please don’t lie to me.”  
Megatron stopped whistling as they pulled up, the whole ride home the radio was on static, sometimes he could hear the crackle of a song. Optimus yawned and was the first to get out of the car, he pulled his keys out of his front pocket and stopped at the first stair step to his home.   
Optimus froze on the spot staring down at his front porch, his stomach dropped.  
“Optimus?” Megatron called from the other side of the car.  
Optimus didn’t respond, he didn’t even look up as Megatron rushed to his side and clutched his arm.   
On their front step was another red envelope, with a bright red string, the ones that were used for balloons. That string was fashioned into a loop, a very tight loop. The note was tied down with the string and what held it all still was a very purple tiny week old puppy.  
Megatron was the first to act, he gently picked up the still puppy and unlocked the door, neither of them said anything as Megatron set the puppy on the table and cut the red string off. Optimus took the note as Megatron went upstairs.  
 **It seems my earlier letters weren’t...threatening enough, so this little fella had to go. Look at what you made me do. This is only the first of many, there’s a litter of 6 just do you know. Funny that in someway your daughter got a dog from me.**  
Optimus flinched when Megatron pulled the note out of his hands, he then set a cigar box on the table and put the purple puppy in it. He tucked the puppy in with a fluffy hand towel and closed up the box, wrapping it up in tape and setting it aside. Megatron skimmed the note and tore it up. “Megatron...we should call the police.”  
Megatron sighed rubbing his neck, only now did Optimus see his husband’s baggy eyes, his messy hair and slumped shoulders. “We can’t.” Megatron pulled a chair out and slumped in it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again I'm against animal abuse, and I have mentioned before that this will take a dark turn.
> 
> Megs like to play the game where he don't say shit. 
> 
> Also extra creep factor here, but whoever is sending Megs and Op notes, knew that Sari wanted a dog, they've been stalking for awhile.

**Author's Note:**

> Would I write more of this?  
> I don't know, I really don't.  
> I also have no idea how firemen live.


End file.
